Bjornar Vestol

The Linda McCartney Pro Cycling Team did more than merely endure today's tortuous mountain stage in the Tour of Langkawi. Both Bjornar Vestol and David McKenzie forced they way into top-10 finishes, and the Norwegian now lies 9th overall.

It was also a good day for the team's debutant Spencer Smith, with the ex-world champion triathlete climbing comfortably with the main field over the tough mountain roads. He was able to give great assistance to his team-mates as they conquered the monstrous climbs that lead into the Cameron Highlands.

The day started in the beautiful seaside resort of Lumut and rolled along the coastal plain for 100 of the 162kms. However, the rest of the race was almost completely uphill, with the merest respite between the two designated climbs hardly worthy of the description. In name, there were two climbs, the first an astonishing 40kms long, in reality it was pretty much 60kms from bottom to top. From the hot fields of the coast, the race wound through atmospheric rain forest and jungle to emerge in the cooler mountain air of Tanah Rata, some 1500 metres up in the clouds.

Matt Stephens kicked off the McCartney action with a bold attack 10kms before the climbing started. He built a small group around him that forged ahead for the best part of an hour, with Matt working hard on the front. The reaction behind meant a bitter end to the day for the leader Daniele Contrini, who struggled in nearly 6 minutes behind the day's winner, Kam-Po Wong. Wong, guesting for the AllStars composite team, is yet again impressing the European managers, and looks likely to be the first Chinese rider to make a name for himself in world cycling. The thinned out main field regained contact with Matt Stephen's group, and the attritional climb went on, with Vestol, McKenzie, Stephens, Smith and Power all featuring. All five were to cross the line in the top 40, a wonderful team effort.

In the dash for the line, it was the two most unlikely McCartney faces that forced their way up to the top first: the great frame of Bjornar Vestol an astonishing 4th, and flat-earth sprint specialist David McKenzie a satisfying 6th. In the overall standings tonight, Bjornar Vestol, Matt Stephens, David McKenzie and Ciaran Power are all loitering with intent in the top 30. Bjornar tops the bill at 9th, something that surprises even the big Norwegian himself: "I'm not meant to be a climber, so I thought today would be hard for me. But now it is over, and I am still here, and maybe even a little bit higher on the "General" tonight!"