Giant Shimano will not participate in LTdL

A file picture of Loh Sea Keong. Local fans will not be able to watch him in 2014's Le Tour de Langkawi as his team, Giant Shimano will not be taking part this year.

PETALING JAYA: Local cycling fans wanting to catch a glimpse of Loh Sea Keong racing in Malaysia, clad in the new Giant Shimano team jersey will have to wait longer.

The team will not be featuring in Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) from Feb 27-March 8.

Sea Keong made history when he became the first Malaysian and South-East Asian to sign for a World Tour team last November.

The LTdL organisers were keen to invite the team to compete in this year’s race as they knew that Sea Keong would be a crowd-puller.

“Our team will not participate in Langkawi,” confirmed Geert Broekhuizen, the Giant Shimano team marketing and communication officer.

The World Tour teams confirmed thus far for the LTdL are Orica Greenedge, Tinkoff Saxo, Katusha, Belkin and Europcar.

Team Giant Shimano, whose star sprinter is Marcel Kittel, will start the season in the Tour Down Under in Australia from Jan 21-26.

Sea Keong, meanwhile, is expected to make his debut with the team in the European races.