DIQUIGIOVANNI-ANDRONI WINS MAJOR LTDL 2009 TITLES

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- Defending overall team champion
Diquigiovanni-Androni swept all three major jersey titles of the seven stages of
the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2009 which ended here today.

The Venezulean-based teams accumulated 73 hours 9 minutes 16 seconds after
the seven stages in Kuala Lumpur Criterium, a distance of 80.4km with each round
covering a distance of 6.7km, including three sprint zones.

The route includes Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Sultan Ismail,
Jalan P.Ramlee, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman,
and ended at Dataran Merdeka.

"I'm very happy for this winning because we were very well prepared for this
race. Before come here, we won two stages in Argentina (Tour of San Diego)," the
team manager Gianni Savio told a press conference here.

He revealed that their early target was to retain the team overall
championship, and the yellow jersey that was won by Moldova's Ruslan Ivanov
last year, but Savio said it was good to win the other two jerseys.

"Honestly, I also did not expect all the four stages (stage one, two, three
and six) to be won by Italian's Mattia Gavazzi," said Savio who celebrated his
20th stages winning in LTdL yesterday since first participating in 2000.

His climber specialist, Jose Serpa Perez, who sealed the King of the
Mountain (red polka dot jersey) on Saturday with 25 points, claimed the yellow
jersey (individual classification) Sunday.

The Columbian said he was happy to win the yellow jersey after the fourth
attempt, adding that the team work this year worked very well in all the stages.

"I'm now in good condition for the other major tournaments such as Giro d
Italia and will progress because the races comprise big names in cycling,"
said the 29-year-old.

While Gavazzi who won four of seven stages in this year's LTdL sealed the
green jersey (sprint) with 97 points, Nolan Hoffman settled in second place with
82 points.

For the Asian best riders (blue jersey), Malaysian first continental team
Le
Tua's rider Tonton Susanton won it with 24'24:56s, 47 seconds ahead of his
closest rival Hosein Askari of the Iran national team.

However, Askari helped his national team win the team category in 73'28:20s
while Le Tua's 73'31:38s was in second place.

Meanwhile, in seventh stage today, Yohann Gene from BBOX Bouygues Telecom
clocked 1'38:20s to win his first stage in LTdL while Gullermo Bongiorno (CSF
Group Navigare) and Gavazzi settled in second and third place.

Ahmad Haidar Anuawar from the national team became the best local riders
after finishing in seventh place, ahead of teammate Anuar Manan.
-- BERNAMA