SuperSport.com | 08 March 2014
Iranian cyclist Mirsamad Pourseyedigolakhour won the Tour de Langkawi, which concluded in Kuala Terengganu on Malaysia's east coast on Saturday.
The little-known Tabriz Petrochemical Team rider triumphed with a time of 35 hours 7 minutes and 16 seconds.
Just eight seconds behind him in the overall standings was Eritrea's Merhawi Kudus of MTN - Qhubeku followed by Colombia's Isaac Bolivar of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling.
Pourseyedigolakhour secured victory by winning the gruelling Genting Highlands stage – known as the tour's queen stage – upstaging more experienced competitors last Sunday.
"No Asian rider has ever won this stage before, so this makes me very proud," Pourseyedigolakhour said after winning the stage, according to a press release from the organiser.
"In my country we have a lot of mountains, which are ideal for us to train and improve our climbing."
Belkin Pro Cycling's Theo Bos from Netherlands won four of the 10 stages but fell behind to 58th place in the overall classification with a time of 35 hours 28 minutes and 4 seconds, more than 20 minutes behind the race winner.
The tour took riders across 1 495.9 kilometres in 10 days, starting from northern Langkawi island, in mostly scorching heat as usually rain-soaked tropical Malaysia is experiencing a drought.
Top three places overall: