Astana rider wins opening stage of multi-day race in China
The Tour of Taihu Lake kicked off in China, with Matteo Malucelli of the XDS Astana Team claiming victory in the opening stage, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The opening stage took place around the city of Nanjing and featured a 2.5-kilometer climb tackled five times. Despite the demanding course and numerous attacks, the outcome was decided in a mass sprint. In a hard-fought finish, XDS Astana Team rider Matteo Malucelli crossed the line first in 2:10:18, ahead of Steffen De Schuyteneer (Lotto) and Stanisław Aniołkowski (Cofidis).
“I’m glad I was able to bounce back quickly after my crash at the Tour de Langkawi. I can’t say I felt 100% today, but with the team’s support, I managed a strong sprint and took the win. I’m happy with how I feel overall, and it’s great that things came together for us — finishing the team’s effort with a victory feels amazing. It was not the most suitable stage for me, but we handled it well. Ahead lie three flat stages, and we’ll fight for the best possible result in each,” said Matteo Malucelli after the finish.
The Tour of Taihu Lake is a 2.Pro category race in eastern China, winding through the scenic landscapes around Taihu Lake and across the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
As reported earlier, XDS Astana Team rider Aaron Gate has won the final eighth stage, attacking from the group of favorites with four kilometers to go and outsprinting Aivaras Mikutis at the finish line.
