KUALA TERENGGANU – The arrival of all 22 teams in the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2023 since yesterday proves that the race, which begins tomorrow and runs until September 30, is still one of Asia’s biggest and that cyclists’ enthusiasm has never waned.
The race, which consists of eight stages covering a total distance of 1,278.1km, excites not only local sports fans but also foreign cyclists.
All participating teams, comprised of a total of 131 cyclists, have the same objective: to determine who deserves to wear the green jersey as the overall leader of LTdL 2023.
In this unique edition since its inception in 1996, the change in the jersey colour for the overall leader for this ProSeries tour was made due to Petroliam Nasional Bhd being the race’s title sponsor.
The orange jersey (Sprint King), polka-dot jersey (King of the Mountain), and white jersey (Best Asian Rider) are also up for grabs in the 27th edition of the LTdL.
Unlike the 2022 edition, which featured six WorldTeam teams, this year’s edition features only two teams, both of which are formidable. They are EF Education-Easypost from the United States and Astana Qazaqstan Team from Kazakhstan.
The national cycling team’s head coach, Mohd Yusof Nasir, believes that the presence of the two WorldTeam teams presents the best opportunity for the national team to continue competing at the highest level.
It is also an opportunity for Malaysian riders to demonstrate their abilities and capacity to compete with professional riders, with the objective of reaching the podium at any stage of the competition, he said.
Stage 1 of the LTdL 2023 will run from Kerteh to Kuala Terengganu, followed by Stage 2 (Kuala Terengganu-Kota Bharu), Stage 3 (Jeli-Baling), Stage 4 (Bukit Mertajam-Meru Raya), Stage 5 (Slim River-Genting Highlands), Stage 6 (Karak-Melaka), Stage 7 (Muar-Seremban), and concluding with Stage 8 (Setia Alam-Kuala Lumpur).
The first two stages of the race in Terengganu and Kelantan should provide an advantage for the state-based Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team (TSG) contingent.
Meanwhile, LTdL’s chief operating officer, Emir Abdul Jalal, anticipates fierce competition as early as the first stage, with the race along the scenic coastline serving as an icebreaker for the cyclists.
Three sprint zones for Stage 1 will be located in Dungun, Ajil, and Tok Jamal, in addition to two Category 4 climbing zones in Jerangau and Sekayu, which will be the early hunting grounds for riders vying for the four major jerseys.
“We expect a mass finish in the first stage from Kerteh to Kuala Terengganu, where the giant teams will allow TSG and the national team to make a breakthrough.
“TSG rider Muhammad Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff has a chance on the first day as he will be passing through his hometown, so he will continue to ride energetically from the first day to collect points in the climbing zone,” he said. – September 22, 2023