LANGKAWI — The race for the coveted yellow jersey at Le Tour de Langkawi officially begins today, with 22 teams and 132 cyclists competing.
In addition to the yellow jersey, riders will battle for three other jerseys: the King of the Mountains in red, the King of Sprints in orange, and the Best Asian Rider in white.
Unlike previous editions held in early February or March, this year’s LTdL takes place at the end of the year, making it one of the final cycling events of the season.
Despite many top cyclists already having competed in major UCI World Tour races like the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España, they remain eager to race in Malaysia’s LTdL.
LTdL offers unique challenges for many cyclists and is highly anticipated each year.
This year’s lineup features 22 teams, including three World Tour teams: EF Education-Easypost (USA), Astana Qazaqstan (Kazakhstan), and DSM Firmenich PostNL (Netherlands).
Seven Pro Teams and nine Continental Teams, such as the Terengganu Cycling Team and Malaysia Pro Cycling Team, will also compete, along with national teams from Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Simon Carr, last season’s LTdL champion and defending yellow jersey holder from EF Education-Easypost, remembers his victory fondly, especially after struggling to finish prior races.
His win made history as he became the first British rider to claim the LTdL title in its 27-year history. Carr returns to Malaysia this year with hopes of defending his title.
“I think it’s a great way to close out the season, with perhaps less pressure since all the major tours have already finished. This is a good opportunity, and at the end of the day, a win is a win. The most important thing is to seize the opportunity and have fun.
“I’m in similar shape to what I was this time last year, and my ambition is still the same.
“Of course, the route is slightly different this year. Last year it came down to Genting Highlands, so maybe this time it would be harder to predict as some would say the route is easier,” said Carr.
Arvid de Kleijn of Team Tudor, another standout from last year, shares Carr’s sentiments.
De Kleijn, a sprint specialist from Team Tudor, not only claimed victory in two stages of the race but also firmly established himself as the rightful owner of the orange jersey, King of Sprints.
“For us sprinters, LTdL is a race that offers plenty of flat finishes. It’s a great way to wrap up the season in a country like Malaysia, rather than the usual European tours,” said de Kleijn, referring to the shift to winter weather back home.
Langkawi, absent from last year’s race, returns as the opening stage.
Today’s 96.5km route around the island includes a climbing zone at Look Out Point (km 62.2) and three sprint zones at Harbour Park (km 32.1), Bayas (km 58.0), and Padang Mat Sirat (km 67.0). — September 29, 2024