BUKIT JALIL – The Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) race will retain its ProSeries status despite failing to attract the required number of WorldTour teams for this year’s edition, which will be held from September 23 to 30.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) ProSeries is the second-tier men’s elite road cycling tour. It was inaugurated in 2020. The series is placed below the UCI World Tour but above the various regional UCI Continental Circuits.
UCI WorldTour teams are allowed to participate, and the cycling governing body requires at least three teams to participate in each ProSeries event.
This year’s LTdL organisers – the National Sports Council (NSC) – were only able to attract two UCI WorldTour teams to participate: Astana Qazaqstan from Kazakhstan and E-F Education EasyPost from the United States.
“UCI will re-evaluate our status after three race editions, and we have the rights to organise LTdL for 2023, 2024, and 2025.
“We will try to get more UCI WorldTour teams to participate in the next two editions,” said NSC director Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail at a press conference here today.
LTdL chief operating officer Emir Abdul Jalal also confirms that there is no change in the race’s status.
“LTdL is still a ProSeries event. We will average out the number of WorldTour teams participating over the next three years.
“It is important for UCI that a total of 10 World and Pro teams participate in the race. Therefore, outside of Europe, the ratio is 3:7, and we have three years to achieve this.
“We are in the process of increasing the ratio to 4:6 or 5:5, and the likelihood that this will occur is positive,” he said.
The optimism stems from the NSC’s assurance that teams will receive payment on time and that their flight tickets will be booked by the organisers.
All of these efforts are made to attract teams for next year’s race and beyond, so that when the teams arrive, they can focus solely on the race.
LTdL was on the verge of being dropped from UCI’s International race calendar because a previous organiser owed debts to teams. Fortunately, all debts have been paid.
“We could not get three WorldTour teams this year because of what happened previously. Teams are wary because their fees were not paid on time.
“We are going to pay them as soon as possible, possibly even before they leave after the race.”
“By doing so, the teams that did not attend this year will think, ‘OK, they have a new organiser and are paying on time.’ Hopefully, this will entice them to come and participate in the race next year and beyond,” Emir added. – August 24, 2023