Page 251 - Westport Guide To Malaysia

THE GUIDE TO MALAYSIA 243
LE TOUR DE LANGKAWI
Human Voyage (M) Sdn Bhd Unit 165-5-12
5th Floor, Wisma Mutiara 165, Jalan Sungai Besi
57100 Kuala Lumpur T (03) 9222 0786
IN BRIEF
Asia’s biggest cycling road race was launched in 1996 and has since become a top ranked international 2HC stage race, aspiring to join the UCI World Tour calendar in the near future.
DATE
Held annually every February. The 2021 race
was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 race is expected to take place on schedule.
LOCATION / ROUTE
Throughout Malaysia. Start and Finish vary every year.
HOW TO GET THERE
The race passes through many states and is mostly held on major roads, so access is easy via car, taxi or public transport. In 2020, the race’s 8 stages traversed 7 states (Kedah, Pahang, Perak, Penang, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu) as well as Kuala Lumpur, while the pre-race Criterium took place in Sabah.
MAIN FEATURES
Le Tour De Langkawi (LTDL), named for its original starting point, is the leading UCI 2HC multiple stage race
in Asia and a top- ranked race in the UCI Asia Tour Calendar.
The winners of the 2020 Le Tour De Langkawi: from left Muhamad Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff (Malaysia, Team Sapura, King of the Mountains), Danilo Celano (Italy, Team Sapura, Overall Winner) Max Walscheid (Germany, NTT Pro Cycling, Highest Points Classification) and Yevgeniy Fedorov (Kazakhstan, Vino - Astana Motors, Overall Asian Rider).
The course usually covers over 1,400km with a climb to almost 1,700m. The tour is an important prelude to the European road racing season, and many top teams take part every
year, including
some world-class outfits. A sporting spectacle which combines sprinting and climbing elements, the race offers an excellent opportunity to get to know Malaysia.
It showcases a
wide variety of spectacular scenery and introduces spectators to
the pleasures of Malaysian hospitality.
The peloton thins out during the long uphill slog at the end of the Penang Bridge crossing, towards the end of Stage 6 of the 2020 race.
Riders pass the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club during the final Stage 8 of LTDL 2020, the famed Langkawi Loop.