Dutch rider wins sixth stage of Tour d'Indonesia

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 11/30/2008 10:31 AM  

Hosts have yet to show their cycling grit in the Speedy Tour d'Indonesia as Wim Spijkerboer became the sixth rider -- all foreign participants -- to win a stage on Saturday. 

Dutch national Spijkerboer with the Kuala Lumpur Cycling Association team clocked the best time of three hours and 50 minutes and seven seconds to win the 170.9-kilometer sixth stage from Yogyakarta to Madiun, Antara reported. 

Cyclists race through Surakarta during the sixth stage from Yogyakarta to Madiun in the 2008 Speedy Tour d’Indonesia on Saturday. The next stage will be from Madiun to Surabaya. (JP/Blontank Poer)

He was five seconds ahead of Indonesian riders Nunung Burhanudin of the West Java team and Robin Manulang of Kutai Kartanegara. 

Despite failing to win the stage, race leader Ghader Mizbani Iranagh managed to keep his position at the top of the provisional standings and will keep the yellow jersey when the tour enters the seventh stage from Madiun to Surabaya on Sunday. 

Fellow Iranians Amir Zargari and Hossain Jahanbanian remained in second and third place, respectively. 

Nunung emerged the fastest among local riders on Saturday. Bayu Satrio of the Bintang Kranggan Cycling Club finished in third behind Robin. 

However, Endra Wijaya of the Customs Cycling Club (CCC), despite finishing 20th, remained the red-and-white jersey holder as the overall leader among local competitors. 

The sixth stage featured two intermediate sprints, both of which were won by Malaysian riders -- Anuar Manan and Mohd Zamri Saleh. 

Anuar has collected the most points in sprints at 20 and still holds the green jersey. 

Ten Indonesian and seven foreign teams are taking part in the tour.