Lennart Jasch of Tudor Pro Cycling Team claimed victory in Stage 2 of the cycling race held at Gunung Jerai on Tuesday, becoming the first rider to win on this newly introduced summit stage. The 25-year-old former speed skater completed the 145.6-kilometer route from Taiping in 3 hours, 37 minutes, and 21 seconds, overtaking Matteo Malucelli of XDS Astana Team to take the overall lead in the general classification.
Jasch's performance earned him the King of the Mountains polka dot jersey, having accumulated 15 points on the climbs. His cumulative time of 7 hours, 44 minutes, and 4 seconds now places him at the top of the overall standings.
Jasch, who secured his third professional win of the season, credited his success to the strong support of his team. He paced himself carefully during the key climb, staying near the front throughout, and launched a decisive attack with about two kilometers remaining. Closing in on Abel Balderstone of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Jasch accelerated to surpass the Spaniard in the final stretch. Balderstone finished second with a time of 3:37:37, while Jasch’s teammate Jan Castellon took third in 3:37:53.
Reflecting on his achievements as a neo-professional rider, Jasch expressed gratitude and tempered expectations for the remainder of the race. "There are still six stages left, including two difficult mountain stages. I prefer to take the race day by day," he said.
Matteo Malucelli maintained his hold on the sprinters’ classification blue jersey, leading with 17 points. He is followed by Riley Pickrell of Modern Adventure Pro Cycling with 12 points, and Fernando Gaviria of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, who has accumulated nine points.
In the best Asian rider category, Yuhi Todome of Aisan Racing Team took the white jersey with a total time of 7 hours, 49 minutes, and 4 seconds. Todome previously earned a bronze medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Malaysia’s top finisher in the race was Kee Zhe Yie from Terengganu Cycling Team.
Stage 3 on Wednesday will cover a 189.7-kilometer course from Sungai Petani to Kuala Kangsar, featuring three sprint points in Kuala Ketil, Lawin, and Sauk.