Teamwork in the service of victory! After being weakened by illness during the opening days of the Tour de Langkawi, our climber Nicolas Breuillard showed great resilience to claim victory atop Genting Highlands on stage 5.
As on the previous day, when Alan Jousseaume saw his breakaway rewarded with a third-place finish, Team TotalEnergies approached this new stage convinced that another breakaway could once again upset the peloton’s plans.
The stage profile lent itself to this scenario, with 100 completely flat kilometres before a 21-kilometre final climb averaging 7.5%. This distinctive route encouraged the team to go on the attack early and give themselves the best possible chance of fighting for victory.
Initially selected to target a strong overall result, Nicolas Breuillard had seen his ambitions hampered by stomach problems earlier in the week. Weakened, our climber had been forced to dig deep just to reach the finish of the opening stages.
However, the time lost in the general classification could also present an opportunity. With his rivals paying him less attention, Nicolas was able to move clear of the peloton after a fierce battle to get into the breakaway. Valentin Retailleau also made the move, giving Team TotalEnergies two cards to play at the front of the race.
In the breakaway, Valentin fully embraced his role as a teammate. Giving everything he had, he helped build a significant gap before the final climb, putting Nicolas in the best possible position to fight for victory.
On the slopes of Genting Highlands, Nicolas then showcased his climbing ability. After a demanding ascent, he proved the strongest among his rivals to secure a victory that was as impressive as it was symbolic.
This is Team TotalEnergies’ ninth victory of the season, but above all, Nicolas Breuillard’s first professional win! A fitting reward for our rider from the Luberon region, who overcame a difficult start to the week, and for a team that worked together perfectly to make it happen.
Three stages remain in Malaysia for Alan Jousseaume, Valentin Retailleau, Mathis Le Berre, Nicola Marcerou and Nicolas Breuillard. More opportunities to build on this momentum and fight for another victory.
