Ufficiali le tappe e il percorso del 22esimo LTdL ossia il Le Tour de Langkawi 2017 che quest'anno si correrà dal 22 febbraio al 1 marzo con frazioni più competitive e meno da sprinter rispetto agli ultimi anni. Si parte dal cuore della zona centro-orientale dalla città di Kuala Berang per coprire in senso antiorario i 1225km che portano a Putrajaya, nella zona sud-occidentale. Scopriamo di più su questa suggestiva e affascinante corsa asiatica.

Da tempo ormai leader delle competizioni del più popoloso tra i Continenti, l'ex-Giro della Malesia ha visto negli ultimi anni una buona partecipazione di corridori internazionali, successi numerosi degli italiani (su tutti Andrea Guardini, vero idolo locale) ed è stata vetrina per talenti in ascesa (come Miguel Angel Lopez, vincitore della tappa regina nel 2016). Il campione uscente è il sudafricano Reinardt Van Resburg.

Iniziamo dall'elenco delle tappe:

Tappa 1 - Mer , 22 Febbraio 2017 : Kuala Berang - Kuala Terengganu (130 km)

Tappa 2 - Gio , 23 Febbraio 2017 : Jerteh – Gerik (208.1 km)

Tappa 3 - Ven, 24 Febbraio 2017 : Serdang – Pantai Remis (118 km)

Tappa 4 - Sab, 25 Febbraio 2017 : Seri Manjung – Cameron Highlands (174 km)

Tappa 5 - Dom, 26 Febbraio 2017 : Tapah – Dataran Merdeka (148.8 km)

Tappa 6 - Lun, 27 Febbraio 2017 : Senawang – Muar (176.3 km)

Tappa 7 - Mar, 28 Febbraio 2017 : Bandaraya Melaka – Bandar Baru Bangi (148.8 km)

Tappa 8 - Mer, 1 Marzo 2017 : Setiawangsa – Putrajaya (121 km)

DISTANZA TOTALE : 1,225 km

La prima frazione sarà preda facile dei velocisti: 130 km verso Kuala Terengganu da Kuala Berang poi sarà tempo per la lunga prova di 208.1km verso una città più volte toccata dalla competizione come Gerik, sarà da tenere d'occhio il vento che potrebbe creare diversi ventagli. Da Serdang a Pantai Remis, la terza e corta tappa (118km) potrebbe vedere un arrivo con uno sprint non compatto. La classifica dovrebbe decidersi con la quarta tappa con la classica scalata verso Cameron Highlands dopo 174km da Seri Manjung, prima dei 148.8km della quinta frazione con partenza da Tapah e arrivo a Dataran Merdeka, sempre per sprinter. Nuovamente oltre i 175 km con la sesta tappa che arriva a Muar e che potrebbe fornire terreno fertile per gli attaccanti così come la successiva tappa di 148km da Malacca a Bandar Baru Bangi. Si termina con la parata e la scontata volata da Setiawangsa  (Kuala Lumpur) fino a Putrajaya con un circuito da ripetere sei volte.

Diego Barbera

ENGLISH VERSION

The 22nd edition of Le Tour de Langakawi (LTdL) from 22^nd February to 1^st March 2017 will truly be seen as a year when the most evident switch towards the future of Asia biggest cycling event being secured, apart from the usual business of an exciting eight stages of racing on the cards. Kicking off from the heartland of Malaysian cycling in the East Coast of the Peninsula, LTdL 2017 will take on a rare anti-clockwised route to the West, covering scenic and popular cycling routes which fans can easily relate to. But there will be no easy days in the saddle this time around.

If Stage 1, a short 130km blast from Kuala Terengganu to Kuala Berang in Terengganu can expectedly present the sprinters with the early honours, the 208.1km Stage 2 will see the peloton start off massaged by coastal winds from the South China Sea, but end up across the Titiwangsa Range that splits the two coasts, with the finish in Gerik. Stage 3 from Serdang (Kedah) to Pantai Remis may be short, but it will be tricky too with a rushing peloton expected to cover the 118km swiftly for another sprinters show in a bunch sprint. Cameron Highlands again offers itself as the queen stage of the race, with a 174km route that starts in Seri Manjung, meaning the peloton will be stretched out, with the general classification battle taking centrestage. Stage 5 will offer a touch of the traditional, with a 148.8km stage starting in Tapah and ending in what used to be the traditional setting for the grand finish of the race, the Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur. The sixth day sees another race towards a traditional cycling hotbed, starting in Senawang and ending in Muar, Johor, before the penultimate stage sees the peloton head back towards the Klang Valley with a 148km stage from Malacca to Bandar Baru Bangi.

LTdL 2017 then ends with a parade from Setiawangsa in Kuala Lumpur, into the administrative capital of Putrajaya, where a six-lap procession around a 6km circuit awaits before the fina finish line of this edition.

Minister of Youth and Sports YB Brigadier Jeneral Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar admitted this edition to be full of challenges, but he remained confident that an exciting edition will nevertheless be delivered yet again. "It will be a very challenging year in 2017, because the Ministry of Youth and Sports will be focused on the organisation of the Sea Games, which Malaysia is hosting," said YB Khairy. "The ministry has had to cancel, postpone or reduce the budgets of other sporting events due to the focus and priority in terms of finances given to the Sea Games, but seeing the popularity of LTdL and its importance as a sports tourism event for the nation, we decided it has to continue, even with a reduced budget," he added. Khairy said a decision was made upon discussion with Ciclista Sports Sdn Bhd, that despite the budget cuts and various cost-cutting measures, the quality of the race will not be jeopardised. "Ciclista Sports also understands that for an event such as this to survive in the long run, it's funding has to be fully sourced from corporate sponsors and no longer rely on government funds," he said.

LTdL 2017 Chief Executive Officer Emir Abdul Jalal agreed that this could be the toughest edition yet in terms of the challenges faces in organising the event, but despite that, the standards and quality of the event will be maintained.

"This may be the toughest year ever for us to organise, given the current economic situation and the limited budget, but we will endeavour to deliver an equally exciting race for the fans and spectators," said Emir. "We have been working towards fully corporatising the event for some time now and that focus will remain. We are fully focused towards getting corporate sponsors on board to bring the race forward into the future.". Emir said despite the budget cuts, the standards of the race will still adhere to requirements set by the International Cycling Union (UCI) as a 2.HC status event on the UCI Asia Tour calendar. "Of course, budget cuts are budget cuts. It means we will not be able to put on a lavish race with too many luxuries. But the standards of organisation and the quality of racing will be maintained," said Emir.

STAGES

Stage 1 - Wed, 22 February 2017 : Kuala Berang - Kuala Terengganu (130 km)

Stage 2 - Thurs, 23 February 2017 : Jerteh – Gerik (208.1 km)

Stage 3 - Fri, 24 February 2017 : Serdang – Pantai Remis (118 km)

Stage 4 - Sat, 25 February 2017 : Seri Manjung – Cameron Highlands (174 km)

Stage 5 - Sun, 26 February 2017 : Tapah – Dataran Merdeka (148.8 km)

Stage 6 - Mon, 27 February 2017 : Senawang – Muar (176.3 km)

Stage 7 - Tues, 28 February 2017 : Bandaraya Melaka – Bandar Baru Bangi (148.8 km)

Stage 8 - Wed, 1 March 2017 : Setiawangsa – Putrajaya (121 km)

TOTAL DISTANCE : 1,225 km