At the start of the Tour de Langkawi, Ryan Gibbons was one of the riders to watch as an outsider for the victory. By the time the race concluded eight days later, he had firmed as a rider to watch for the remainder of his career after taking the overall victory.
The 22-year-old Dimension Data rider joined fellow South Africans Ryan Cox, David George and Reinardt Janse van Rensburg in claiming overall honours at the race, holding the yellow jersey from stage 2 through to stage 8.
Gibbons made his professional debut with the team at the Dubai Tour, riding in a lead-out train for the first time, before top five results at the South African time trial and road race national championships. He then jetted to Malaysia for Asia's premier stage race, proving his experience and age no barrier to success.
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When Gibbons sat down with Cyclingnews in the early stages of the Tour de Langkawi, there were no signs of nervousness, consternation or unease exhibited in neo-pros. Rather, an air of acknowledgement that everything should be as it was and he belonged on the top step of the podium in yellow.
A pressure-free off-season in his hometown of Johannesburg, following a season with Dimension Data's Continental team leading to a stint as a stagiaire last year, all contributed a feel of familiarly to start the 2017 season for Gibbons.
"Obviously, they were the one who gave me an opportunity with the Continental team. They invested in me, had faith in me and realistically, I am not too sure I would have gotten a team elsewhere in all honesty," Gibbons told Cyclingnews. "Even if I had, I would have shown loyalty to them because they invested in me and have always believed in me, it is a great set up."
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