Thai Cyclist Finishes 10th in Tour de Langkawi Stage 3

Abhisit Suphan delivered the strongest performance among Thai cyclists, finishing 10th in Asia at the international long-distance cycling event Le Tour de Langkawi 2026 on Stage 3. General Decha Hemkrasatri, president of the Cycling Association of Thailand, announced that the association sent its professional team, Thailand Continental Cycling Team, to compete in Malaysia between September 27 and October 4 to accumulate points for the 2028 Olympic Games qualification. The competition is held at professional level with significant point values. Decha reported that Coach Tham Vissuth Kasiyaphat reported on the Stage 3 race held on September 29, which ran from Sungai Petani to Kuala Kangsar, a distance of 189.7 kilometers. A total of 120 cyclists started, but only 114 finished, as extreme heat caused heat stroke among many European riders. The middle section featured over 8 kilometers of continuous uphill riding, which split the field, though riders regrouped within the final 20 kilometers and crossed the finish line as a large group.

All six Thai cyclists completed the stage, with Abhisit Suphan posting the best result at 10th place in Asia with a time of 4 hours 31 minutes 59 seconds. The stage champion was Italy's Matteo Malucelli from professional team XDS Astana from Kazakhstan, with the same time of 4:31:59. The other Thai cyclists—Pira Pol Chiang Khwang, Tulthorn Sotsalam, Tanakan Chaiyasombat, Thanchat Yattan, and Nopachai Kla-huan—also crossed the finish line as part of the main group with an identical time of 4:31:59.

Decha stated that Stages 4 and 5 will feature challenging high mountain climbs. He instructed Coach Tham to advise the athletes to conserve energy, attempt to complete the stages, and aim to accumulate as many points as possible to improve their chances of qualifying for the 2028 Olympics in the United States.