One star continued to shine, while another emerged at the Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia on Sunday. For the third straight day Brazilian Mendonca Pagliarini took top honors in a bunch sprint, this time winning the 172.9km stage 4 trip from Gerik to Tanah Merah. But getting equal billing on this day was Canadian mountain biker Roland Green, who showed it didn’t matter whether it was dirt or tarmac when it comes to climbing.

Riding as a member of the Canadian National team, Green was the fastest man to the top of a pair of category 1 climbs, giving the Trek-Volkswagen pro possession of the polka dot-climber’s jersey.

It's 3-for-3 for Pagliarini.

Photo: Jason Sumner

“We came into the day with a plan to go for the KoM jersey,” said Green, who is the two-time defending cross-country world champion. “My teammates did a great job leading me up, and then I just gave it all I had. I was fully committed to getting the points today.”

Indeed, Green received a strong effort from his team, especially Peter Wedge and Seamus McGrath, two other riders who earn the bulk of their cycling living racing mountain bikes. Wedge did the honors on the day’s first climb, breaking away from the peloton with Green and six other riders midway through a gradual 21km ascent on a wide open stretch of highway that brought the race up and over Gunung Pilong. Once away Wedge rode tempo for Green, setting him up to take the first climb.

Then, after a regrouping of the main field during the descent, Green took off again as the second climb commenced; a 29km run up Mount Titiwangsa, another gradual ascent of wide-open road. Initially he was alone, but McGrath would eventually make the jump along with Ruber Marin (Colombia-Selle-Italia). McGrath’s stay at the front was short lived, but his effort and Green’s obvious form were more than enough to propel the Canadian to another KoM win.

“I went a little too early on the second climb, but I knew the chase wasn’t really organized so I figured I could make it stick,” Green explained. “Me and the Colombian just took turns pulling.”

This second effort from Green was especially impressive, considering that a year ago Marin was the man who paced eventual overall race winner Hernan Dario Munoz three-fourths of the way up the climb to the Genting Highlands.

“Now I just need to conserve some energy for the next few days so I’m ready,” said Green of his strategy for this year’s Genting stage, which will almost certainly decide the overall outcome.

For now though, the overall lead continues to belong to Saturn’s Nathan O’Neill. The Aussie had no trouble staying with the group on either of the climbs, then finished safely in the bunch in 56th place. O’Neill leads Green by 20 seconds in the overall standings.

“Our guys worked pretty hard today,” O’Neill admitted, adding that towards the finish Pagliarini’s Lampre team did come forward to chase down the last break of the day, a non-threatening four-rider group that’s advantage crested near three minutes before being hauled in with 10km to go.

From there it was another show for Pagliarini, who was escorted to the 500-meter mark by his Lampre team before he blasted away from Aussie Graeme Brown (Panaria) in the last 100 meters. Pagliarini’s only mistake was a bit of premature celebration that nearly cost him the win. With the finish just meters away Pagliarini tossed his arms up while Brown kept driving. Initially no one seemed to know who won, but a look at the photo gave the win to the Brazilian by the width of a tire.

“Yes I put my hands up a little early,” Pagliarini admitted. “It should not have been so close.”

The 10-day, 1343.5 km race continues Tuesday with the flat 179.1km stage 5 trip from Kota Bharu to Kuala Terengganu.

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NORTH AMERICAN RECAP
Green was the big story on the day, but the rest of the North American contingent managed to get home safely with the bunch. It didn’t come easy through. At one time or another Tim Johnson (Saturn), and Canadian National team riders Wedge, Cory Lange, Alex Lavellee and Bruno Langlois all fell off the back during the day’s climbs and had to work hard to get back on before the finish.

Canadian national team rider Gord Fraser had his best day yet in the sprints, coming across eighth.

Seven North Americans are in the top 15: Green, 2nd at 0:20; Tom Danielson (USA), 3rd at 0:24, Eric Wohlberg (Can), Saturn, 4th at 0:27; Fraser, 8th at 0:44; McGrath, 9th at 0:45; Wedge, 12th at 0:50; and Johnson, 14th at 0:51.

THINNED RANKS
The number of riders heading into Tuesday has dwindled to 131, with 5 riders being eliminated Monday. Relax’s David Fernandez was a DNS, while Cory Sweet (Credit Agricole), Yohann Charpenteau (Credit Agricole) and Guillaume Girout (Marlux) all adandoned stage 4. Meanwhile, Belgian Ronny Assez (iTeamNova-Flanders) was disqualified for holding onto his team’s vehicle going up the second climb.

CHANGE OF SCENERY — AND SCENE
Monday’s racing brought the Tour de Langkawi to Malaysia’s east coast for the first time this year, where the next two stages will take place. Stage 5 starts at Kota Bharu, in the state of Kelantan. This is the most Malayan area in Malaysia and is very conservative. Many of the cities and towns are dry, and Islam dominates the religious scene. If you can do without beer, this is one of the best places in Malaysia to see batik being made or watch kite-flying contests.

Stage 5 route

JERSEY UPDATE
Yellow (Overall leader): Nathan O’Neill — The Saturn rider saw his lead dropped to 0:20, after Green earned a three-second time bonus for winning the first intermediate sprint.
Green (Points): Mendonca Pagliarini — His third stage win upped his total to 45, four more than Aussie Graeme Brown, who has now finished second twice and third once.
Polka Dot (KoM): Roland Green — The Canadian shot to the front of the climber’s standings after taking first-place KoM points on the first two significant climbs of the race.
Blue (Top Asian rider): Iran’s Hossain Askari held the lead he first took in the stage 1 time trial.

TEAM STANDINGS
1. Saturn
2. Canada, at 1:00
3. Colombia-Selle Italia, at 1:17
4. Panaria, at 1:22
5. Relax-Fuenlabrada, at 2:06

WHAT’S NEXT
Stage 5
Kota Bharu—Kuala Terengganu: 179.1km
Stage 5 starts the race’s trip down Malaysia’s east coast, the much less populated of the country’s two coasts. Like stages 2 and 3, this one is nearly dead flat with only a small category 4 climb at the 139km mark. Expect another sprint finish and maybe another win for Pagliarini.