BINTULU — Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2024 chief operating officer, Emir Abdul Jalal is on a mission to ensure that the prestigious Asian road cycling race remains challenging and offers an unforgettable experience for riders.
He expressed satisfaction with the consecutive climbing routes introduced in this year’s edition, which delivered on expectations for impact and surprise, particularly in the battle for the overall title. As a result, he plans to continue this format next year.
“If we include the Genting Highlands stage, we’ll do it again. My goal is to provide riders with back-to-back mountain climbs, reminiscent of the races in 2001 and 2011.
“When you have that, the prestige of the race becomes extraordinary. For instance, Yonathan Monsalve (Androni Giocattoli Serramenti PVC Diquigiovan) unexpectedly won the overall title, while Takaeki Ayabe (Aisan Racing Team) won at Camerons (then) but dropped out in Genting.
“This creates unpredictability, making the race even more exciting,” he explained.
Emir also said that his team is committed to ensuring Genting Highlands returns to the LTdL route next year if given the opportunity.
He highlighted the positive feedback from this year’s LTdL edition, with riders feeling they had equal opportunities to achieve great results up to the final stage.
“This time, LTdL gave them a sense that they had a chance to win until the end, even without Genting. This shows that the route offered was very interesting.
“For example, the Orange Jersey (Sprint King) won by Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling Team, Sprint King of the 2023 edition) was only secured by the sixth stage.
“We thought he would retain it from the start, but it was taken by Matteo Malucelli (JCL Team UKYO). The same thing happened in the battle for the Polka Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains),” he said.
Emir emphasised that local teams like the Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC), and the national road cycling team gained valuable experience from the challenging routes. They will need to work hard next year to compete against world-class riders.
MPC team director, Mohd Sayuti Mohd Zahit, expressed pride in his team’s achievement, finishing among the top three in Asia for the overall team category, especially considering it was their debut in LTdL with mostly young riders.
“That impressed me. We didn’t set high expectations for them, especially with Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil absent, but Ahmad Syazrin Awang Ilah stepped up.
“Although they didn’t make the top 10 or 15, he tried to be the best Malaysian step by step, and we saw progress, which gave him and his teammates valuable experience.
“So, we will not remain idle. We will identify the team’s weaknesses and try to improve for next year,” he added.
The LTdL 2024 race, which covered eight stages over a distance of 1,190km, concluded yesterday. — October 7, 2024