A mountain to climb as this year’s LTdL unveils triple peaks

PETALING JAYA: Three gruelling hilltop finishes will make this year’s Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) the toughest in recent memory as riders prepare for the 30th edition from Sept 27-Oct 4.

The eight-stage race will pass through eight states in Peninsular Malaysia and cover a total distance of 1,258.5km, with the iconic Gunung Jerai making its LTdL debut in Stage Two from Taiping to the summit.

Although officially classified as a Category 1 climb, the ascent starts at sea level at the foot of the mountain before rising to nearly 1,000m in elevation, promising an early test of endurance.

Race organisers have also revived the memorable back-to-back mountain stages featuring Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands, a challenge last seen in the 2001 and 2011 editions.

The National Sports Council, who are organising the race, received approval from the management of Resorts World Genting for riders to once again tackle the iconic and difficult climb to Genting Highlands this year.

Genting Highlands will host the finish of Stage 5 while the Stage 4 ride to Cameron Highlands will also be demanding as the climb begins from Tapah to Tanah Rata, a route considered significantly tougher than the Simpang Pulai ascent used in the previous two editions.

Malaysia will be represented by Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), Malaysia Pro Cycling Team (MPC), and the Malaysian National Team.

All 20 invited teams from the World Team, ProTeam, Continental Team, and National Team categories have already confirmed their participation for the race.

The race is set to start in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam and end in Putrajaya.