Langkawi: Minali dedicates second stage win to Scarponi

All thoughts were of fallen Astana rider Scarponi for Stage 4 winner Minali in Pekan, Malaysia on Wednesday.

In fact, the 22-year-old Italian son of multiple Grand Tour stage winner Nicola Minali dedicated his second stage win of the 2018 Le Tour de Langkawi to his former team-mate, who was tragically killed during a training crash in Italy last year.

“I am super happy because today I want to dedicate my second victory to our captain Michele Scarponi” Minali told Eurosport after his second victory. “He is with us always.”

The win almost did not come to bear as the field was forced to frantically chase down a solo attack from Australian pursuit specialist Callum Scotson (Mitchelton-BikeExchange), who launched his assault within 15km to go.

“This guy was alone in last kilometre,” explained Minali. “If we don’t accelerate probably this guy arrives alone at the finish. For us it was a strong sprint.”

It was indeed a close call for the reigning three-time Australian under-23 individual time trial champion, who was caught inside the last 600 metres.

“I saw there were some moves going and saw the one where they sort of hesitated and pace came back — so I went,” the younger brother to BMC Racing’s Miles Scotson told Eurosport. “A couple came with me but then as soon as one came across they sat up, so I thought I might as well see where it goes because I could always pull it up if it wasn’t going anywhere.

“When I saw I was getting a bit further, a bit further, I thought it’s worth a crack now,” Scotson continued. “Just [put my] head down in a good time trial position and see if I could hold them off.”

Previous stage winner Adam de Vos (Rally Cycling) holds on to the yellow leader’s jersey for a second day after lifting it from Stage 2 winner Minali on Tuesday. However pre-race favourite and last year’s Cameron Highlands winner Mekseb Debesay (Dimension Data) is out of contention following a crash inside the last 5km.

“I saw him crash hard,” de Vos told Eurosport. “It was a really scary moment, so I hope he’s OK because he went down hard and I came close to going down also. I just rode through it and managed to stay up, which was a scary moment because it was outside 3k to go. I really hope he is okay and can continue the race, and if not, he doesn’t have any serious injuries.”

According to race officials, the 26-year-old Eritrean champion was the only one of half a dozen riders to be sent to the hospital with a pelvis fracture and is awaiting confirmation to transfer to Kuala Lumpur by helicopter for further treatment.

Shortly after the race, Dimension Data tweeted the following statement from team doctor Dirk Tenner: “We can confirm Mekseb has sustained no life-threatening injuries, he is conscious and talking and will now undergo further medical examination at hospital.”

As for the current race leader, who was able to “take it easy” on the day thanks to the support from his US-registered UCI Professional Continental team-mates, the queen stage focus is total defence of the jersey on the second of two mountain stages, which features a gruelling uphill finish.

“For sure I am going to give it my all on the climb,” said the 24-year-old Canadian, who told Eurosport he was feeling the effects of his own opening stage crash prior to the stage. “Whatever happens, happens, but my legs felt better than I expected today. It’s hard with the road rash and the heat. You don’t recover so well, but right now I feel OK.”

For full stage and race results click here.