Both Paul Griffin and David McCann were satisfied with their results, finishing 7th and 10th respectively. Victory in the final stage went to japan's Yusuke Hatanka. As it panned out Griffin's object of covering a dangerous move on stage three was his undoing. If this had not happened Paul would stood aloft in MelaKA Square yesterday.
It was a relief for Susanto from Indonesia to cross the finishing line. Conditions for the last stage were far from satisfactory and I am happy it is all over,'' Tonton said. "I'm so happy today and I thank my team-mates, my coach, my team manager and all the staff of LeTua for helping me getting my first win in a stage race.
Results
1 Yusuke Hatanaka (Japan) Skil Shimano 1.07.57;
2 Hossein Nateghi (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team;
3 Hari Fitriyanto (Indonesia) Polygon Sweet Nice Team University Team;
31 David Mc Cann (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team;
48 Paul Griffin (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team.
Final general classification
1 Tonton Susanto (Iran) Le Tua Cycling Team 21.32.38
2 Ghader Mizbani Iranagh (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 0.11
3 Fredrik Johansson (Swe) Team Differdange-Apiflo Vacances
7 Paul Griffin (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 7.08
10 David Mc Cann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 8.42.
Mountains classification
1 Hossein Askari (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 16 pts
2 Tonton Susanto (Indonesia) Le Tua Cycling Team 8;
3 David Mc Cann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 6
4 Paul Griffin (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 5.
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(13 Jan) MALAYSIA TOUR: McCANN 2nd and GRIFFIN 8th ON STAGE
It was the one stage that the 105 competitors left standing after five stages of the Jelajah Malaysia Tour showed the most respect for, namely the 'Queen ' stage to Genting Highlands, yesterday (Saturday).
It may have turned out a glorious occasion for the 34-year-old Indonesian competitor Tonton Susanto, but David McCann making a welcome return in the colours of Giant Asia for the 'Tour' excelled on the long tortuous climb up into the sky for stage six over a relatively short stage, but the the big 'if' was would climb the best. At the best of times, even the motorists who ascend the mountain have difficulty.
Again, David McCann in his career has shown that he has the attributes to figure on the world stage of an international event when he snatched a magnificent second place on the 'Queen' stage. His fellow team mare Paul Griffin also made the cut to finish seventh and moving up five places in the overall to 7th, whereas David took a quantum leap and went into the top ten.
The main players in the overall standings were pleased when after five kilometers of racing, Salehian Farshad (Azad University), Hossein Jahabanian (Tabriz Petrochemical), Jacob Nielsen (Farso) and Shimpei Fukuda (Japan National Team) went for their slice of glory.
At the mid way point they they had extended the lead to over thee minutes, but the main protagonists had a double bonus with overall leader Tonton Susanto's team Le Tua doing the marshalling which left those with aspirations biding their time. Fully versed that they could when the necessity arose seize the unitive and gain not only seconds but minutes!
The benefactor in the lead group was Jahabanian who succeeded in collecting the points in the intermediary sprints.
But now! The clock was ticking down and the first King of the Hills category of the day, the gap was significantly reduced to just over a minute. The steeper the incline got the less active the leaders were and eventually Hossein Askari put them out of their misery when he nullified the lead. His main aim was the polka dot jersey as the KOM leader, but also that of his team leader Ghader Mizibani to outfox Susanto and take the overall lead.
Invariably a cyclist who wears the lead tunic digs into the hidden reserves. Thus Susanto did exactly that! Marking Mizibani out of the equation and forcing Hossein to plough on regardless for the stage.
Down the slopes, David McCann was coming into his own and was picking off cyclists at a rate of knots and steadily getting himself into contention for a stage win.
Unfortunately for David the finishing line arrived all too soon for the Belfast man who certainly has arrived back on the Asian scene in a big way after his sojourn in the United States.
The bonus for finishing third was sufficient for the Indonesian to remain as the race leader and more or less confined Mizbani to finishing second overall.
But the final stage around Medaka square in the heart of Kuala Lumpur on Sunday will decide the final outcome a very closely contest race. Both Paul and David have performed out of their skins and who knows maybe a stage win in KL will put the icing on the cake for either of them.
6/ Kuala Kubu Bahru - Genting, 122.2 Km
1 Hossein Askari ( Tabriz Petrochemical Team), 3.10.11;
2 David McCann (Ireland), Giant Asia, @10secs;
3 Tonton Susanto (Indonesia), @12;
8 Paul Griffin (Ireland), Giant Asia, 1.46.
General classification after stage 6
1 Tonton Susanto (Indonesia) Le Tua Cycling Team, 21.32.38;
2 Ghader Mizbani Iranagh (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team,@11secs;
3 Fredrik Johansson (Sweden) Team Differdange-Apiflo Vacances, @4.16;
7 Paul Griffin (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team, @7.08;
10 David Mc Cann (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team, @8.42.
Mountains classification
1 Hossein Askari (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 16 pts
2 Tonton Susanto (Indonesia) Le Tua Cycling Team 8;
3 David McCann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 6
4 Paul Griffin (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team 5.
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(12 Jan) MALAYSIA TOUR: LITTLE CHANGE AFTER BUNCH FINISH
As anticipated, the fireworks did not materialise after Thursdays bloodletting when the leaderboard changed dramatically with Tonton Susanto assuming the race lead of the Jelajah Malaysia Tour. Today it was a bunch sprint into Karak with Paul Griffin and David McCann showing no fatigue after the 133.7 of racing.
The big story here is the emergence of Malaysian Anuar Manan who has succeeded for the third occasion getting his wheel over the line first.
Tomorrows climb up Genting Highlands will certainly soften the cough of many who have aspirations of doing well. The climb will ultimately decide the outcome of the 7-day race and it is expected that Paul Griffin can at least move up the general classification listing. board.
Jelajah Malaysia Tour
Gemas - Karak, 133.7 Km
Details:
1 Anuar Manam (Malaysia) Le Tua Cycling Team,3hrs.0mins.54secs;
2 Hossein Nateghi (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, same time;
3 Cyrille Heymanns (Luxembourg) Team Differdange-Apiflo Vacances, st;
41 Paul Griffin (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team, st;
72 David Mc Cann (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team, st.
General classification after stage 5
1 Tonton Susanto (Ina) Le Tua Cycling Team,18.22.20;
2 Ghader Mizbani Iranagh (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, @4
3 Fredrik Johansson (Swe) Team Differdange-Apiflo Vacances, @2mins;
12 Griffin, @5.27
31 McCann, @8.47
Mountains classification
1 Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, 8 pts;
2 Griffin,5;
3 Susanto, 8.
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(11 Jan) MALAYSIA TOUR: IRISH LOOSE TIME
Indonesian veteran Tonton Susanto, representing the Malaysian outfit LeTua, surprisingly snatched the overall leaders jersey from Lu Fu Yu of Trek Marco Polo even though he finished third on Stage Four of the Tour of Malaysia yesterday.
A moment of indecision by the main players in the Jelajah Malaysia Tour succumbed yesterday including Tralee's Paul Griffin all misjudged the strength and depth of a break who formed early on in the fourth stage from Batu Pahat/Muar, 178.8 Km.
The Kerryman not alone was the big loser, but race favourite Li Fuyu of Trek-Marco Polo was a disconsolate man at the finish. All the good work performed over the opening three days literally went up in smoke as early as the 20kms marker of the 178.8kms of racing. Victory on the stage went to the Swede Fredrik Johansson (Team Differdange-Apiflo Vacances) and the overall tunic of race leader is now with Tonton Susanto (LeTua) from Indonesia.
The irony of it all is that Susanto represented Marco Polo for many years, but yesterday his Malaysian team LeTua were in celebratory form.
Paul and David McCann along with the main group trailed the leaders by six minutes plus. To put the cat amongst the pigeons, Griffin should have marked his former team mate Ghader Mizbani Iranagh who has now been installed as race favourite courtesy of the advantage gained yesterday.
The Swede, Frederick Johansson of Differdange Apiflo won the stage from Batu Pahat to Muar, clocking 4'04:31 in the 178.8km race. Japan's Kohei Uchima was credited with the same time for second place and Tonton was in the next pack of finishers with a time of 4'04:34.
Fu Yu, since winning Stage One, failed to keep up with the leading peloton and was placed 12th with a time of 4:08. "In today's race, I kept a watch from the early stages on the cyclists in the leading pack and followed them closely," said Tonton. He added that he would be out to consolidate his position as leader in three more stages and would have to ride with caution in the mountain stage today from Gemas to Karak, covering 133.7km.
The fifth stage also has three sprint zones. Tonton's team-mate Anuar Manan kept the blue jersey even though he failed to pick up a point from the three sprint zones yesterday.
"I intend to continue wearing the blue jersey in the remaining three stages and tomorrow, I will be back getting points to strengthen my position as the sprint leader," said Anuar, who won the second and third stage of the Tour. Kuala Lumpur's Suhardi Hassan continued to be the leading Malaysian rider in the Tour with a fifth-place finish yesterday.
Jelajah Malaysia Tour
Stage 4/ Batu Pahat - Muar, 178.8 Km
Details:
1 Fredrik Johansson (Sweden) Team Differdange-Apiflo Vacances, 4hrs.04mins.31secs;
2 Kohei Uchima (Japan) Japan National Team, @3secs;
3 Tonton Susanto (Hong Kong) Le Tua Cycling Team, st;
35 Paul Griffin (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team, @6.37;
86 David Mc Cann (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team, same time.
General classification after stage 4
1 Susanto, 15.21.26
2 Ghader Mizbani Iranagh (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, @04secs;
3 Johansson, @2mins;
12 Griffin, @5.29;
30 McCann, @8.47.
Mountains classification
1 Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, 8 pts;
2 Griffin 5;
3 Susanto, 3.
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(10 Jan) MALAYSIA TOUR: GRIFFIN & McCANN IN BUNCH FINISH
Cat and mouse tactics on the face of it look to be on the menu as the standings after day three of the Jelajah Malaysia Tour remain static as far as the leaders in the overall classifications are concerned! And, this suits Paul Griffin the Kerryman who spends 90% of his time racing on the Asian Continent.
Paul retains his fourth placing on general classification eight seconds adrift of race leader Li Fuyu the 30-year-old Chinese who is growing in confidence that he'll come up trumps on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur.
'Tactically, it looks as though the big hitters are keeping their powder dry for Saturdays' stage up to Genting Highlands, 6000 above sea level. I have ridden up the steep gradient on a number of occasions and as far as I am concerned, I'll give it wellie,' said Paul.
Whilst Li Fuyu may getting all the plaudits as race leader, Anuar Manan is certainly the locals a lot to shout about. He is revelling in the conditions and the fact that he has repeated last year's feat of two wins in the corresponding event is bolstering his future aspirations as a participant in the 13th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi which starts next month.
Seemingly, the race leader is bolstering Manan's confidence with gloing within and outside the peloton. He speaks particularly well of his team Le Tua who can't be left out of the equation when it comes to doing all the necessities of a team leader when in Manan's case that of sprinting.
Evidently, Manan's first aim in the first sprint of the day is to get his name on the bulletin and through the efforts of his team this is competed in a fashionable way. Naturally after the sprint the peloton settles down to a routine, providing the leading contenders don't rock the boat by galloping up the highway, thus leaving the peloton grovelling for shelter and splintering the stage passage.
Thankfully yesterday when the necessities of points in the bag, a fairly sizable break seized the initiative to plough ahead. All told there was 16 riders ahead according to race radio: Thys Poelstra and Ren�� Ahrenkiel (Farso), Shahrul Mat Ami and Rauf Nor Misbah (Malaysia National Team), Hayoto Yoshida and Kohei Uchima (Japan National Team), Edi Purnomo (Indonesia Customs) and Suhardi Hassan (Kuala Lumpur), Tomoya Kano and Yoshinori Iino (Skil-Shimano), Herwin Jaya (Polygon Sweet Nice), Naoki Mukaigawa and Masaki Wakumoto (Matrix-Powertag), Hossein Askari and Hossein Nateghi (Tabriz), Akmal Amrun (Malaysia Continental Team).
Unfortunately for the lead group, Askari scuppered their aspirations as he was deemed to be a threat to the bone and withing kilometers their fate was sealed when they were tracked down.
Hardly had the dust settled with the peloton intact again! With seven originally making a forward move which included; Doi (Skil-Shimano), Takamitsu Tsuji and Mitsushiro Matsumura (Matrix-Powertag), Hossein Jahabanian (Tabriz), Faris Abd Razak (Malaysia national team), Maloto Iijima (Japan National Team) and Maruli Fajar Mulia (Indonesia Customs).
A brave effort by Salehian Farshad (Azad) and Patria Rastra (Benteng Muda Selangor) proved worthwhile when they tagged on to the leaders who now had built a commanding lead of three minutes plus after 124kms of racing.
But, it was noticeable that Trek Marco-Polo the race leaders outfit plus the Le Tua team on behalf of their sprinter ignited the pace, ending the charge of all and sundry before the finish in Batu Pahat.
As on Tuesday the points jersey of Manan burst through to take the win, preserving his lead in the points competition and the bonus for Fuyu was he still on the throne as the event rolls on.
Stage 3/ Bandar Hilir - Batu Pahat, 163.8 Km
Details
1 Anuar Manam (Malaysia) Le Tua Cycling Team,3hrs.55mins.35secs;
2 Hossein Nateghi (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, same time;
3 Sergey Kudentsov (Russia) Trek Marco Polo Team, st;
15 Fuyu Li (China) Trek Marco Polo Team, st;
35 David Mc Cann (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team, st;
48 Paul Griffin (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team, st.
General classification after stage 3
1 Fuyu Li (China) Trek Marco Polo Team,11.15.39;
2 Marcel Strauss (Switzerland) Team Stegcomputer �C CKT �C Cogeas, @4secs;
3 Jacob Nielsen (Denmark) Team Farso, @6;
4 Griffin, @8
26 McCann,@3.26.
Points classification
10 Griffin.
Mountains classification
1 Hossein Askari (IRI) Tabriz Petrochemical Team, 8 pts;
2 Paul Griffin (Irl) Giant Asia Racing Team,5;
3 Tonton Susanto (Ina) Le Tua Cycling Team,3.
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(9 Jan) MALAYSIA TOUR: GRIFFIN IN BUNCH - 4th OVERALL
Positions on the leaderboard after day two of the Jelajah Malaysia Tour are delicately poised with seconds only, separating the top six on general Classification of the seven day tour which is due to finish up in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
In the mix is none other than Kerryman man Paul Griffin eight seconds adrift of the race leader of Li Fuyu from China and representing the Marco Polo outfit. Li gained a lot of experience last season when as a member of the all conquering Discovery Channel Team. It, looks as though after two days of competition in this event that he is showing the qualities of sound leadership as was clearly in evidence yesterday on the stage from Seremban to Malacca.
Not to be outdone, Paul is also drawing on his vast experience of racing on the Asian Continent with the Giant Asia Team. Also he has a bonus with David McCann rejoining the team after a stint in the USA.
As is the custom and practice in most 'Tours' it was a fast start yesterday and just just played into the hands of the leaders who were able to summon members of their respective teams to keep the pace up which negated any breakaway attempts in the early stage of the 137kms of action to Malacca.
Eventually the elastic snapped when a five competitors opened up a significant gap on the main bunch. In the quintet was, Ken Onodera (Trek-Marco Polo), Mehdi Sohrabi (Azad), Makoto Iijima (Japan National Team). As the race pace heated up, Maruli Fajar Mulia (Indonesia Customs) and Taufik Mohamad (Benteng Muda Selangor) made the junction to the lead group. Not to be left in limbo after a long and hectic chase, Budi Santoso and Herwin Jaya (Polygon Sweet Nice), Hannes Blank (Differdange-Apiflo), Rauf Nor Misbah (Malaysia National Team) and Putro Bayu Sartrios (Benteng Muda Selangor) made contact, swelling the break to 13. It was a repeat of the the opening stage of the event when similarly 13 were ahead, but unfortunately they would have no rich pickings from the top table in relation to the overall standings.
Trek-Marco Polo the team of the overall leader Li, felt obligated to claw back the leaders as within the 13 were two who were only one minute seventeen seconds off the lead. Their chase paid off as Iijima survived until the last 3kms before he was reeled back in to the main pack.
With all the counter attacks which kept the speed very much to the fore it came to a sprint finish in the sea port of Malacca with a stiff breeze coming in off the China sea. The rising star from Malaysia Anuar Manam led the way with Sergy Kudenmtsov of Russia and Kochei Uchima the Japanese who is very popular with the Malays second and third respectively.
'It was a cat and mouse effort all day. Along with my team including David McCann it was a watching brief that the principals were in the pack,' said Paul as he headed for his base at the Equatorial Hotel.
Stage Two/Seremban - Melaka, 136.2 Kms.
Details:
1 Anuar Manam (Malaysia) Le Tua Cycling Team, 3hrs.07mins.55secs;
2 Sergey Kudentsov (Russia) Trek Marco Polo Team, same time;
3 Kohei Uchima (Japan) Japan National Team, st;
56 Paul Griffin (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team, st;
85 David McCann (Ireland) Giant Asia Team, st.
General classification after stage 2
1 Fuyu Li (China) Trek Marco Polo Team,7.20.04
2 Marcel Strauss (Switzerland) Team Stegcomputer �C CKT �C Cogeas, @4secs;
3 Jacob Nielsen (Denmark) Team Farso,@6;
4 Griffin, @8;
23 McCann, @3.26.
Points classification
8 Griffin.
Mountains classification
1 Hossein Askari (Iran) Tabriz Petrochemical Team 8 pts;
2 Paul Griffin, 5;
3 Tonton Susanto (Hong Kong) Le Tua Cycling Team, 3.
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(8 Jan) GOOD START OF SEASON FOR GRIFFIN
Paul Griffin (Giant Asia Racing Team) - Photo By Greg Chang www.bikeman.org
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Paul Griffin returned to Malaysia last weekend after a brief break for Christmas in his home town of Tralee, Co. Kerry.
He was one of two Irishmen that are in the line up for the seven day event Jelajah Malaysia. David McCann from Belfast is his team mate on the Giant Asia Team and both have competed in the last number of of years in Le Tour de Langkawi which starts next month in Alo Setar.
Incidentally, similar to last season, Paul started racing in January and finished up the week before Christmas (2007) in the Tour of Thailand.
Now he is back on the campaign trail where it began twelve months ago.
And, again he is showing that indeed with proper management of training and rest that he can compete at the highest level.
Yesterday was one of those days when the 'Kingdom' competitor was in the action after one third of the race stage of 176kms had been negotiated. Naturally with the exception of Team Matrix-Powertag from Japan all the possible counters were up front and dictating the pace. The group powered along at a rate of knots which brought their advantage up to over four minutes before the alarm bells rang in the peloton. Then a concerted effort by the Japanese team started making inroads into the lead group.
Advantage gained by a break is not easily surrendered and the lead of the 13 man group started to shed competitors in the last 30ks of racing. From, behind, the counter attacks were coming fast and furious but the leaders stuck to their task and Griffin was doing his level best to cajoled the leaders in sticking to the task that lay ahead. 'I had visions of breaking the mould which would give us a cushion for the next six days, providing we kept the maneuver and the tempo at a high rate of knots,' said Paul.
The defining moment in the lead group came in the last 15kms of racing when a six of the original thirteen went ahead to contest the finish in Port Dickson alongside the Malacca Straits. (Not that they were in any mood to view the panoramic view of the blue sea.
In the end the advantage of having raced and competed with the Discovery Channel team last season bore all the hallmarks for Li Fuyu from china and representing the Marco polo Team based out of Hong Kong to show a clean pair of wheels to the quintet who lacked the acceleration that Fuyu showed in registering a stage win.
''It was a great day's racing for me. Just back from home after the Christmas, it was important that I got back into the routine. Malaysia has always been good to me . last season I would reckon was one of the best for both Giant Asia and myself. Wining the team prize in Le Tour de Langkawi was a bonus. As I said to you last year in Fraser Hill after Charteau from the the Credit Agricole stamped his authority, the season is only beginning,' said Paul.
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(7 Jan) GRIFFIN 4th IN MALAYSIA
Evidently Asian competition suits the Tralee man Paul Griffin as he set out his stall for the 2008 campaign in Malaysia earlier today. He finished fourth of six who escaped the main bunch and at the finish they had over a minute to spare on the chasing pack.
Chinese, Li Fuyu who raced last season with Discovery Channel showed his mettle when he won the first stage of seven in the Tour of Jelajah Malaysia in Port Dickson after 176km of racing.
Paul's fellow countryman, David McCann who campaigned in America is back racing again this season with the Giant Asia outfit as is Griffin.
Stage 1- Jelajah Malaysia - Putrajaya - Port Dickson, 176.5 Km
Results
1 Fuyu Li (China) Trek Marco Polo Team,4hrs.12mins.19secs;
2 Marcel Strauss (Switzerland) Team Stegcomputer �C CKT �C Cogeas, same time;
3 Jacob Nielsen (Denmark) Team Farso, st;
4 Paul Griffin (Ireland) Giant Asia Racing Team, st;