McCann had some company today on Genting Highlands, where the crowds are always crazy
David McCann (RTS Racing Team) has had a rough day in the saddle up Genting Highlands at the Tour de Langkawi, during a stage of sweltering heat that saw the South American riders rip it up again.
The final hors category climb – which is effectively Asian cycling’s Alpe d’Huez – split the field to pieces as Colombian Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Androni Giocattoli) tore up the final slopes of the back breakingly steep 1,700 metre climb to take the summit finish and yellow jersey.
McCann was also held up by a bad crash and eventually came home nearly 15 minutes down. He was just seconds ahead of overnight leader, Australian Darren Lapthorne (Drapac); though half the field were behind them, with some riders losing nearly 40 minutes on the 108km queen stage.
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“It was just a case of survival today,” McCann told stickybottle.
“When I’m on top form I can be respectable on a climb like today, but otherwise it’s impossible to live with the South Americans on something that steep. I thought I was familiar with the climb, but I forgot how brutal it really is. The 39x28 got plenty of use.”
“A couple of rain showers gave us a welcome cool down. There was an inevitable crash in the bunch on the slippy road leading up to the climb. It was a real road block of bodies on the road and I had more than enough time to show my licence and registration before the road through was cleared.”
The race concludes on Sunday, with Serpa now looking good for his second GC win in the event now that the toughest terrain is behind the riders.
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(See more photos below results)
Stage 6 – 108km summit finish up Genting Highlands
1 Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Androni Giocattoli 3:09:37
2 Victor Nino Corredor (Col) Azad University 0:00:02
3 José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli 0:00:46
4 Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:02:32
5 Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocattoli 0:02:53
6 Stefano Locatelli (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox
57 David McCann (Ire) RTS Racing Team @ 14:57
GC after six stages
1 Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (Col) Androni Giocattoli 20:11:11
2 José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli 0:00:30
3 Victor Nino Corredor (Col) Azad University 0:00:56
4 Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:02:20
5 Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocattoli 0:03:43
6 Stefano Locatelli (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 0:04:15
61 David McCann (Ire) RTS Racing Team @ 20:51
McCann nears today’s summit finish – check out GC leader Lapthorne just behind him
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