LANGKAWI: With a number of exciting local riders currently coming up the ranks, Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) which starts tomorrow (Sept 29) is set to be extra exciting for Malaysian fans this year.
Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) will lead the Malaysian challenge as the most experienced side among the three Malaysian teams competing in the UCI ProSeries tour this season.
TSG previously won the yellow jersey in 2018 and had also won the Asian classification in 2016 and mountains classification in 2022. They also have multiple stage wins under their belt.
The other two Malaysian teams competing this year are Malaysia Pro Cycling, who are also a UCI continental side, as well as the Malaysia national team.
TSG's Nur Aiman Rosli, 25, is eying the Asian classification jersey (white) while his teammate Nur Aiman Zariff, 26, is hoping to win the mountains classification (polka dot jersey) for a third time.
Aiman Rosli has had a strong season this year, winning a stage at the Tour of Thailand in April and also finishing second in the mountains classification at the Tour of Istanbul earlier this month.
TSG sporting director Saiful Anuar Aziz disclosed that they are also hoping to achieve a few stage podium finishes through sprinter Harrif Saleh.
Harrif, 36, is the most successful road rider in Malaysian cycling history. He won three LTdL stages in the 2020 (two) and 2019 (one) editions. In 2021 he became the first Malaysian rider to win a UCI sanctioned race in Europe (Turkiye).
"We will try but it will be a bonus if we are able to lead and hang on to either the white or polka dot jerseys until the end," said Saiful today.
"We are also looking at finishing on the podium in the sprint stages through Harrif this year. There are about five stages we have identified which are likely to be suitable for him.
"We fielded him in the Tour of Poyang Lake (UCI2.2) in China earlier this month to prepare him for LTdL and he is currently in good condition.
"In the general classification (green jersey) we are hoping to at least finish in the top-10, hopefully through Anatolii Budiak (Ukraine). To go for the overall win in the GC will not be easy as there are some very strong riders, especially among the WorldTour teams."
Saiful disclosed that TSG are not able to field Eritrean star Merhawi Kudus as he has yet to recover from a neck injury he suffered after crashing during the fifth stage of the Tour of Hainan (UCI ProSeries) last month.
The versatile Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki and Andreas Miltiadis (Cyprus) complete the TSG squad.
MPC team principal Sayuti Zahit earlier this week said his squad, which features an all-Malaysian rider lineup, will be going for the win in the Asian teams classificiation.
MPC will also be banking on in-form Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil to excel in the sprint stages. Zulfikri Zulkifli, 24, who finished third in stage five of the Tour of Thailand in April and won gold at the Asian Mountain Bike Championships in Putrajaya (May) is also in the MPC squad.
National team coached Yusof Nasir has named Ren Bao Tsen, Abdul Azim Aliyas, Afiq Huznie Othman, Elmi Jumari as well as former Team Sapura Cycling duo Yusri Shaari and Muhsin Al Redha Misbah in his LTdL squad.
Two other Malaysian riders will be riding for foreign teams in LTdL this year.
Sprinter Zulhelmi Zainal, 24, who raced for the national team last year, will be competing for Nusantara Cycling Team (Indonesia) this year while Iqbal Daniel Mohd Nawawi is racing with Hengxiang Cycling Team (China).
Iqbal, who is from Kemaman, is looking to make an impact in what will be his LTdL debut.
"I hope to compete at the Olympics and the Tour de France one day but of course I have to prove myself first," said Iqbal.
"Racing in LTdL is a big step up for me compared to Sukma but I am looking forward to the challenge."
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The 20-year-old won two gold medals at the Sarawak Malaysia Games (Sukma) recently.
The first stage tomorrow will see riders racing a 96.5 kilometre round island course in Langkawi which features three intermediate sprints at Harbour Park, Kampung Bayas and Padang Matsirat as well as one category four climb (lookout point). The stage will start and end in Kuah town.