The Scott Swisspower rider was beaming with joy after learning that he clocked the fastest time of 5:08.29 in the 2.4km track at Dataran Legenda today.
“I will hang on to this stage lead for as long as I could. I won’t give it up easily since this is my first stage victory of any competition in my career,” said Vogel to reporters after the prize winning ceremony.
His career highlight was finishing third at the World Championship, Mountainbike XC, Canberra and seeing action at the Olympic Games.
The beaming Swiss couldn’t hide his delight wearing the yellow jersey despite the humid condition and hot afternoon in Langkawi.
“I will try to protect my lead for tomorrow’s Stage 1 challenge. The humidity and weather won’t be easy for anyone,” he said.
For the Women Open winner Eva Lechner from Team Colnago Sudtirol who clocked 5:51.272, the official result at the end caught her by surprise.
“I thought I was the third fastest after I learned my teammate Nathalie (Schneitter) clocked better time than me. But later, when the official result came out, I am so happy,” said the Italian lass who is considered among the favourites to challenge for the women’s title.
However, Eva considered the track and humidity condition could propel her in LIMBC.
“I think I am doing well and I feel good. I just need to maintain my pace and work out good strategy since I have my respect for my teammate Nathalie and other competitors,” said Lechner.
Malaysia’s best result for today came from Masziyaton Mohd Radzi at 10th place clocking 7:04.334 in Women Open and Anuar Manan who only to manage with a time of 5:54.24, clinching 17th place out of 74 competitors in Men Open respectively.
Canada’s John Ray Funk (Deadgoat Racing), the lone Canuck racing this year at the Langkawi International MTB Challenge, won the Senior Master Men’s category. – ed.
Tomorrow’S LIMBC Stage 1 would see the riders to compete in a grueling 65km track around the legendary island, starting and finishing at Lagenda Park.
Stage 2 is a 45km race from East to West Langkawi starting from Lagenda Park, followed by a gruelling Stage 3, the 60km Langkawi Marathon. Stage 4 is an Olympic distance Cross Country race around Langkawi GeoPark followed by Stage 5, a stunning beach front finale around a short circuit at Pantai Kok.
Tradewinds Corporation and Yayasan Sime Darby are co-sponsors as Platinum Partners for LIMBC 2012. Silver sponsors are Telekom Malaysia, Berjaya Corporation Berhad, Maju Group and Proton Holdings Berhad. Bronze partners are AmBank Group and ALM Group Sdn Bhd. The event is supported by the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA).
Elite Men
1. Florian Vogel (Sui) Scott Swisspower 05:08.3
2. Simon Gegenheimer (Ger) Ultra Sports Racing 00:03.9
3. Emil Lindgren (Swe) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team 00:06.1
4. Kristian Hynek (Cze) Ceska Sporitelna Specialized 00:06.8
5. Hendrik Jaap Moorlag* (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team 00:07.6
6. Todd Wells (USA) Team Specialized 00:13.1
7. Steffen Thum (Ger) Ultra Sports Racing 00:13.9
8. Fabian Giger (Sui) Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team 00:14.2
9. Burry Stander (RSA) Team Specialized 00:16.8
10. Karl Platt (Ger) Team Bulls 00:17.4
11. Leisling Matthias (Ger) Black Tusk Racing By Tomotion 00:19.2
12. Karl Markt (Aut) Feltz – O – Bionic 00:20.5
13. Marx Torsten (Ger) Black Tusk Racing By Tomotion 00:27.4
14. Robert James Wardell (Gbr) Alpine Bikes Racing 00:28.6
15. Max Knox (RSA) Team Specialized 00:33.6
16. Na Sanghoon (Kor) Korea 00:36.4
17. Manan Anuar (Mas) Kedah SBS Giant 00:46.0
18. Pangerl Philipp (Ger) Black Tusk Racing By Tomotion 00:46.2
19. Roger Walder* (Sui) Scott Swisspower 00:48.2
20. Mohd Fauzan Ahmad Lutfi (Mas) Amaniz Cycling 00:50.4
21. Florian Willbold (Ger) Black Tusk Racing By Tomotion 00:53.9
22. Kwon Soonwoo* (Kor) Korea 00:54.3
23. Yoo Bumjin (Kor) Korea 00:55.1
24. Muhammad Raihaan Bin Abd Azbrunei (Bru) 00:58.8
25. Riccardo Ridolfi* (Ita) Scott Rc New Limits 01:02.4
26. Mohd Nor Rizuan Bin Zainal (Mas) PBATM 01:07.2
27. Abdol Malik Mohd Shafari (Mas) Kedah SBS Giant 01:14.2
28. Saiful Khohar Bin Abd Halim (Mas) Endurace Team 1 01:15.1
29. Surachet Singjui (Tha) Endurace Phuket Beach Boy 01:17.5
30. Junaidi Hashim (Sin) Singapore Cycling Federation 01:18.1
31. Mohd Razif Salleh (Mas) Chiru Endurance 01:21.6
32. Terasak Boonchuay (Tha) Chiru Endurance 01:24.1
33. Suhardi Bin Hasan (Mas) Lapierre KT 01:24.8
34. Kuhuzairi B Abdul Bakar* (Mas) Scott Malaysia 01:26.1
35. Mohd Radzi Mohamad Ayub (Mas) Kedah SBS Giant 01:28.1
36. Wilson Low Wei Cheng (Sin) Singapore Cycling Federation 01:32.1
37. Wan Mohammed Najmee Wan (Mas) Mlapierre KT 01:33.0
38. Mohamad Zul Ashraf Bin Zamlkedah (Mas) SBS Giant 01:33.1
39. Mohd Arif Bin Che Awang (Mas) Chiru WTB 01:33.3
40. Zamzi Muhamad (Mas) Arus 01:37.2
41. Muhamad Emir Shafiq Zainal (Mas) Aamaniz Cycling 01:39.5
42. Lim Yew Meng (Mas) Chiru Endurance 01:39.7
43. Mohamad Faris Abdul Razak (Mas) Kedah/PDRM 01:41.2
44. Muhammad Nurjamri Bin Joha Brunei (Bru) 01:41.6
45. Surasuk Taweesman (Tha) Chiru Endurance 01:42.6
46. Mohd Shahrul Nizam Bin Che Pbatm (Mas) 01:44.1
47. Muhammad Hazwan Bin Azmen (Mas) Orbea Malaysia 01:44.6
48. Mohamad Khaniz Bin Omar (Sin) Singapore Cycling Federation 01:47.7
49. Lim Chin Hong * (Mas) Lapierre KT 01:53.1
50. Muhammad Shaid Abdul (Mas) Samadendurace Team 2 01:55.5
51. Michael John Williams (Aus) 01:56.5
52. Mohammad Nurhaimin Bin Awabrunei (Bru) 01:57.7
53. Lau Cze Kuang (Mas) 02:03.4
54. Muhamad Suhaimi Abdul (Mas) Scott Malaysia 02:05.0
55. Nor Azlan Bin Zolkefli (Mas) Scott Malaysia 02:08.9
56. Richard Ben Hendy (Aus) 02:09.7
57. Ivan Tay Chin Seng* (Sin) Singapore Cycling Federation 02:11.2
58. Shamsul Firdaus Bin Shahida Pahang (Mas) 02:14.9
59. Mohd Shawal Bin Mohd (Mas) Shafeavanti Team 02:19.2
60. Mohamad Syafiq Abidin (Mas) Langkawi Cycling Team 02:42.4
61. Sulheilmy Ahmad Isa (Mas) Recovery 02:45.3
62. Shaiful Ahmad (Mas) Amaniz Cycling 02:49.1
63. Abdul Kadir Bin Abas (Mas) 02:58.7
64. Izwan Md Sumairi (Mas) Majlis Perbandaran Klang 03:01.9
65. Julian Kaub (Mas) 03:09.6
66. Quah Ooi Ken (Mas) Scott Malaysia 03:20.8
67. Mohd Faizal Md Pilus (Mas) Ambank 03:22.7
68. Michael Sahari (Mas) Ambank 03:25.4
69. Chan Weng Leong (Mas) Scott Malaysia 03:26.1
70. Mohamad Hafiz Bin Mohamed (Mas) Avanti Team 03:27.2
71. Amri Ismail (Mas) Arus 03:31.2
72. Khairul Amin Ahmad Riozuan (Mas) Kedah 03:49.5
73. Foong Weng Kong (Mas) 04:04.1
74. Muhammad Naim Bin Abdul Aziz (Mas) 19:03.4
DNS Ahmad Khairdir Mohd Nazri (Mas) KDH
DNS Ahmad Sukri Ahmad Nawawi (Mas) KDH
DNS Mohd Shahrul Hafiz Isak (Mas) KDH
DNS Azhar B. Hassan (Mas)
Elite Women
1. Eva Lechner (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol 05:51.3
2. Lea Davison (USA) Team Specialized 00:04.3
3. Nathalie Schneitter (Sui) Colnago Sudtirol 00:07.6
4. Julia Innerhofer* (Ita) Colnago Sudtirol 00:19.9
5. Janka Stevkova (Svk) Slovakia 00:22.6
6. Blaza Klemencic (Slo) Felt Otztal X-Bionic 00:22.9
7. Cherise Stander (RSA) Momentum Toyota 00:28.3
8. Jenni King (Aus) Anytime Fitness / Trek 00:36.7
9. Elisabeth Sveum (Nor) Norway 00:44.9
10. Masziyaton Binti Mohd Radzi (Mas) Kedah SBS Giant 01:13.1
11. Melanie Leveau (Fra) Hora Du Bush 01:21.5
12. Junaidah Juss (Mas) Arus 01:32.6
13. Laura Liong (Sin) 01:47.0
14. Nurul Suhada Bt Zainal* (Mas) Terengganu 01:57.2
15. Ain Nurul Huda Rusli (Mas) Chiru Endurace 02:17.0
16. Siti Fatimah Binti Ismail* (Mas) Kedah 02:23.3
17. Noor Fadilah Saiedin* (Mas) Arus 02:25.8
18. Adinya Sai Samorn (Tha) Chiru Endurace 02:57.7
19. Sharina Binti Shafei* (Mas) Langkawi 07:06.0
DNF Sandra Klomp* (Ita) Ktm St Ihl Torrevilla
DNF Jacklyn Diana Andrew (Mas) PBATM
Master Men
1. Marzio Deho (Ita) Cicli Olympia 05:32.0
2. Nicholas Craig (Gbr) Scott UK 00:01.6
3. Anthony White (Gbr) Cannondale Mt Zoom Racing 00:35.8
4. Takuma Dan (Jpn) Club 3719 01:01.1
5. Vanni Balboni (Ita) Green Devils Team 01:01.2
6. Gregory John Dick (Nzl) Malborough Mountainbike Clu 01:11.6
7. Lance Andwew Portman (Aus) Asphar Surveying 01:24.5
8. Prasert Chitmart (Tha) Endurace Phuket Beach Boy 01:24.5
9. Zhen Feng (USA) Volt Racing 01:32.6
10. Yuttana Chukaew (Tha) Endurace Phuket Beach Boy 01:41.2
11. Robert Rowe (Aus) 01:47.4
12. Andy Tiong Telk Mewg (Mas) Langkawi 02:07.8
13. Kenneth Koh (Sin) 02:14.9
14. Loh Ching Soo (Mas) Singapore Five-O 02:17.4
15. Mohamad Yusof Ilah (Mas) Chiru Endurace 02:21.4
16. Muhamad Razli Ibrahim (Mas) Amaniz Cycling 02:27.5
17. Azman Bin Mohd Nor (Mas) Chiru Endurace 02:56.4
18. Ridzuan Bin Abd Rahim (Mas) DTM 03:07.5
19. Mohd Sahak Bin Zaiwi (Mas) DTM 03:07.9
20. Azman Bin Abu Hassan (Mas) 04:52.6
DNS Abu Hassan B. Halim (Mas)
DNS Chacrit Ngeongsanga (Tha) Chiru Endurace
Senior Master Men
1. John Ray Funk (Can) Deadgoat Racing 06:50.3
2. Charles H.B Stander (RSA) Concept Cyclery Specialised 00:17.0
3. Zamani Supartin (Mas) Le Tua 00:24.0
4. Kwan Kah Yong (Mas) Scott Malaysia 00:32.3
5. Chua Tuan Muar (Mas) Amaniz Cycling 00:33.5
6. Hartmut Hofmann (Ger) 00:40.4
7. Frank D Viermann (Ger) P.Pinang 01:03.9
8. Abdul Razak Kamis (Mas) Kedah 01:37.6
9. Farizul Latif Zulkipli (Mas) Scott Malaysia 02:08.2
10. Che Mansor B Kamis (Mas) 02:27.2