Astana’s Malucelli wins again at Tour de Langkawi
XDS Astana Team rider Matteo Malucelli claimed another victory at the Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia, winning the third stage in a bunch sprint, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The Italian completed the 189.7-km route from Sungai Petani to Kuala Kangsar in 4 hours, 31 minutes and 59 seconds. The victory was Malucelli’s seventh of the season and XDS Astana Team’s 30th win of 2026.
Canada’s Riley Pickrell of Modern Adventure Pro Cycling finished second, while Belgium’s Sepp van den Berg of Tudor Pro Cycling Team U23 took third.
After the finish, Malucelli said the heat made the stage challenging despite the relatively moderate pace of the peloton.
“We had a clear plan for the final part of the stage, but with other teams following their own strategies, we had to adapt as the race unfolded. Aaron Gate and Gleb Syritsa gave me a great lead-out in the closing stages. I was well positioned and launched my sprint from Pickrell’s wheel, managing to overtake him in the final 20 meters. It was an extremely close finish, but we both knew I had won,” Malucelli said.
With two mountain stages coming up, Malucelli said the team will shift its focus to supporting Harold Martin Lopez, while he looks to conserve energy for the remaining sprint opportunities.
The Stage 3 victory also extended Malucelli’s lead in the Tour de Langkawi points classification.
Earlier, XDS Astana Team rider Nicola Conci, racing alongside the young riders of XDS Astana Development Team at Il Giro d'Abruzzo, claimed third place on the final stage of the Italian stage race.
