Rising South African star Daryl Impey took another big step up the ladder of sprinting success when he claimed two podium positions in three stages at the 2007 Tour de Langkawi currently taking place in Malaysia.
Impey, the 22-year-old speedster on the MTN Microsoft team, but riding for the South African national team in Malaysia, claimed second place on Stage 2 and third place on Stage 4 of the prestigious international event that has attracted some of the world’s best professional teams.
You have to see a Tour de Langkawi bunch sprint to believe it. It’s mass chaos at over 60kph as riders jostle for the best positions from which to launch their final dash to the line. The peloton is a collection of talented riders from around the world that are eager to show their potential to the bigger teams in the hope of some recognition and a potential future contract. It’s also a relatively young bunch where experience levels don’t often match energy levels, making for some of the most hair-raising moments!
Impey, who attained an impressive 17 podiums in 2006 (eight of those victories), has been widely regarded as the next big South African sprinting talent and is currently being groomed by MTN Microsoft teammate Malcolm Lange in the art of race winning.
“Those sprints suit Daryl because they wind up from far out and it’s the power sprinters that tend to dominate in Malaysia,” explained Lange. “Daryl is also young and fearless and that is crucial because those are some of the most chaotic sprints I’ve ever been involved in. It takes a special kind of rider to get two podium places at the Tour de Langkawi.”
Lange, one of the South Africa’s most prolific race winners ever, also pointed out that while Impey’s results were impressive, some credit must go to his teammates, especially Rupert Rheeder. “Sprinting success is all about being in the right place. Because those seasoned sprinters there won’t know Daryl, they won’t give him an inch which means that Rupert, his leadout rider, must be doing a great job of getting Daryl to the front at crunch time!”
With Stages 5, 6, 7 and 10 all being relatively flat and fast, Impey still has time to claim that stage win that’s just eluded him. He’s currently lying fourth in the Points classification but is likely to be expected to sacrifice that competition in favour of riding as back-up to teammate David George, the defending Tour de Langkawi champion and one of the favourites to challenge for the overall win again this year.
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