KUALA TERENGGANU Vadim Pronskiy is hoping to put a difficult bout with pericarditis behind him and win the Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) white jersey for a third time this year.
The Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) climber moved into the lead in the Asian riders’ classification (white jersey) after finishing 15th in the third stage from Gerik to Pasir Puteh yesterday (Sept 30).
The Kazakh, who was previously on the books at Astana from 2020 until last year, had previously won the LTdL white jersey in 2019 and 2023.
The 27-year-old said making it a hat-trick of wins this year would mean a lot to both him and TSG.
“Terengganu is like my second home now and I am very happy to take charge of this jersey,” said Vadim yesterday (Sept 30).
“I want to keep it until the end of the tour, it is very important to both me and my team as this is our home race.
“But we still have a mountain stage (fifth stage) to compete in so we have to see how that goes.”
Vadim suffered pericarditis in the second half of last year. The condition causes inflammation of the pericardium, the sac which contains the heart.
Symptoms include difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeats and fatigue, among others.
“I had contracted Covid-19 and first started feeling symptoms (of pericarditis) after three months,” said Vadim.
“I was hospitalised for a few weeks and then had to stop cycling for about three months, whilst I was on medication.
“I was only able to get back on the bike in December last year.
“But I am feeling good now and believe I am back at my best.”
Vadim, 21 at the time, showed his potential by placing fourth in LTdL’s traditional queen stage at Genting Highlands in 2019. He finished just under a minute behind stage winner Benjamin Dyball. The latter would go on to win the yellow jersey for Team Sapura Cycling that year.
Genting Highlands has not been included in this year’s LTdL. The queen stage this season (stage five) will start in Temerloh and end with a summit finish in Fraser’s Hill.
– NST