Russian cyclist Petr Rikunov claimed victory in Stage 4 of the 30th Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) on Thursday, conquering the challenging climb to Cameron Highlands. Riding for Wheeltop Rotor Chengdu, Rikunov completed the 142.3-kilometer route from Meru Raya to Cameron Highlands in 3 hours, 29 minutes, and 12 seconds, securing the stage win and the polka dot jersey as the new leader in the King of the Mountains classification.

Rikunov edged out Caja Rural-Seguros RGA’s Javier Ibanez, who finished three seconds behind, and TotalEnergies’ Alan Jousseaume, who came in sixth seconds after the winner. The Russian rider described the stage as difficult but suited to his riding style, noting that the climb to Cameron Highlands was less steep than the earlier ascent of Gunung Jerai on Stage 2. Rikunov revealed he timed his attack carefully and pushed hard in the final kilometer without looking back.

This victory marked Rikunov’s first stage win in over a year, his previous success being at Stage 7 of the Tour of Qinghai Lake in July 2025. He entered the LTdL in good form after finishing third overall at August’s Trans-Himalaya Cycling Race. Initially aiming for the general classification, Rikunov and his team shifted their focus toward stage wins after facing setbacks in the overall standings.

Meanwhile, Lennart Jasch of Tudor Pro Racing retained the race leader’s orange jersey with a cumulative time of 15 hours, 46 minutes, and 50 seconds. Aisan Racing’s Yuhi Todome continued to hold the white jersey, awarded to the Best Asian rider, while XDS-Astana’s Matteo Malucelli maintained his lead in the points classification and held on to the blue sprinter’s jersey. The climb-focused Stage 4 saw no change in these jerseys.

The race continues with a demanding queen stage scheduled for Friday, beginning in Tapah and covering 125.7 kilometers. The route will include three intermediate sprints at Slim River, Tanjung Malim, and Batang Kali before concluding with a Hors Category climb of 1,629 meters to the summit of Genting Highlands. This stage marks the first time since 2011 that riders will face consecutive Hors Category climbs, increasing the race’s difficulty as the peloton advances.