Nico to the rescue: Breuillard's stunning victory in Le Tour de Langkawi

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 2, 2026

Nicolas Breuillard of Total-Energies won Stage 5 of the Tour de Langkawi by conquering the challenging ascent to Genting Highlands, finishing just ahead of his teammate Josh Burnett. This victory marks a key personal achievement for Breuillard as he prepares to leave the team at season's end, while the race continues with Stage 6 featuring multiple climbs and sprint opportunities.

Nicolas Breuillard of Total-Energies claimed a surprising victory on Stage 5 of the 30th Le Tour de Langkawi, conquering the demanding 125.7-kilometer queen stage from Tapah to the summit of Genting Highlands. The French rider finished with a time of 3 hours, 11 minutes, and 26 seconds, narrowly ahead of teammate Josh Burnett, who crossed the line eight seconds later. Reigning orange jersey holder Lennart Jasch secured third place, finishing 21 seconds behind Breuillard.

Breuillard, a late addition to the race as a replacement for Jordan Jegat, initially aimed to compete for the general classification but was set back by illness on the first day. Despite this, he focused his efforts on winning a stage and counted on the support of his teammates to achieve that goal. “It was hard to regain the lost time, but I told my teammates I wanted to at least win a stage here,” Breuillard said. He credited teammates Valentin Retailleau and Burnett for their key roles in helping him secure the win, with Retailleau establishing an early lead and Burnett adjusting his own ambitions to support Breuillard’s stage victory.

The 26-year-old climber’s success on the 1,629-meter Hors Category climb comes as he prepares to leave Total-Energies at the end of the season and join XDS-Astana in 2027. After achieving his personal target, Breuillard plans to assist his team in the remaining stages of the race.

In the overall competition, Lennart Jasch regained the polka dot jersey as King of the Mountain with 35 points, a title he initially captured in Stage 2. Matteo Malucelli of XDS-Astana and Yuhi Todome from Aisan Racing Teams maintained their leads in the blue jersey for the best sprinter and the white jersey for the best Asian rider, respectively.

Stage 6, scheduled for today, covers 121.3 kilometers from Pandan Indah to Rembau. Riders will face three category three climbs in Ampang, Bukit Hantu, and Bukit Mendum, in addition to three sprint points located in Ulu Beranang, Rahang, and Rembau as they continue to contest the overall classifications and individual honors.

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