SHAH ALAM, 26 Sept – The tension ahead of Stage 1 of the 2026 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL26) continues to build, despite organizers receiving worrying news less than 24 hours before tomorrow morning’s flag-off for the 193km Shah Alam – Kampar route.
This comes as XDS-Astana sprint specialist Matteo Malucelli – considered one of the star attractions in this 30th edition was involved in a crash, leaving his chances of appearing at the starting line tomorrow in doubt.
The 2024 Sprint King, who has accumulated six stage victories in the LTdL, crashed after losing control of his bike on a sandy corner. He had to be taken for further medical evaluation and treatment, though the 32-year-old Italian rider still insists on starting tomorrow’s race.
Teammate Aaron Gate stated that while they did not expect such a situation to occur, Astana remains optimistic with their current lineup, even if they are forced to compete without Malucelli.
He added that although the route appears very challenging on paper this year, the field remains balanced for both climbers on the hilly routes and sprint specialists on the flat stages.
This edition of LTdL26 is regarded as presenting the most demanding route yet, featuring three summit finishes at Gunung Jerai, Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands favoring mountain specialists, while the remaining five flat stages give equal opportunities to all sprinters.
During a special press conference attended by Gate, Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA); Geoffrey Bouchard (TotalEnergies); Lennart Jasch (Tudor Pro Cycling); Jonathan Klever Caicedo (Wheeltop Rotor Chengdu Cycling Team); and two Malaysian riders, Muhammad Izzat Hilmi Abdul Halil and Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli (Terengganu Cycling Team), the incident clearly did not disrupt the focus of Gate, team Astana, or riders from other teams.
“Malucelli was just unlucky, but Astana still has Gleb Syritsa and Lev Gonov. In fact, (Harold) Martin Lopez is also regaining his form after facing difficulties in the recent Giro d’Italia.
“Personally, I’m thrilled to return to LTdL after successfully helping (Nicolas) Vinokurov and winning a stage last year,” said Gate, who pulled off a surprise victory in Stage 8 (Tangkak–Kuala Lumpur) last year.
Gaviria, a Colombian sprint specialist with 52 career wins including five Giro stages and two Tour de France stages, is focusing solely on his own ride in his debut appearance in the country.
“I’m happy to be here, and I know Caja Rural has a good record in LTdL over the years. I raced in Italy again last week (following a two-month break due to a crash at the Tour de France) and feel my condition is improving.
“I consider this LTdL a great race because there are routes suited for sprinters, and I hope to help the team pursue general classification (GC) standings. This gives me strong motivation,” said Gaviria, who joined Caja Rural this year after previous stints with WorldTeams such as Movistar, UAE Team Emirates, and Quickstep.
For three favored climbers – Bouchard, Jasch, and Caicedo, all making their debuts in Malaysia – the approach is strictly wait-and-see.
“I don’t know much about LTdL or Malaysia, but the team (TotalEnergies) has had good results here. So being here feels special.
“I just hope to stay active every day and deliver strong results on the hilly stages and in the overall GC. In fact, I enjoy racing in foreign countries as I approach the end of my career,” said the 34-year-old Bouchard, who plans to retire after this season.
A similar sentiment was shared by Jasch and Caicedo, both hoping to seize the opportunity to test the racing atmosphere across three summit finishes described as ‘crazy’ due to their combination of steep gradients and long ascents.
“It’s quite exciting, and I personally want to see who ultimately deserves to be crowned winner,” said Jasch, 25, a King of the Mountains titleholder with a Stage win at this year’s Tour of the Alps.
Meanwhile, Caicedo noted his physical condition is ready for LTdL26, despite this being his first time in Malaysia.
“I’m happy to be here and my fitness is at its peak. My personal goal is a top-10 GC finish, and we’ll see how these next few days play out. I am ready,” said the 33-year-old Colombian rider, formerly with the EF Education WorldTeam at the Giro and recently crowned champion at the Magnificent Tour of Qinghai Lake this year.
Meanwhile, two local riders representing different Continental teams, Izzat Hilmi and Aiman Rosli, hope to pull off surprises when the peloton rides into Johor state.
“I will do my best and hope to deliver a proud performance to stand on the podium when the stage finishes in my hometown of Batu Pahat (Stage 7 Melaka–Batu Pahat),” said Izzat Hilmi, fresh off winning the 2026 national championship just a few weeks ago.
Echoing similar hopes, Aiman Rosli previously pulled off a shock second-place finish in Stage 7 (Melaka–Medini) last year.
“This year’s route also passes through my home state (Stage 8 Muar–Putrajaya). It’s a 50-50 chance, and I might execute the same breakaway tactic,” said Aiman, who won his seventh consecutive individual time trial (ITT) national title at the national championships a few weeks ago.
Regardless, the 30th edition of LTdL26 – considered the toughest tour in its history since 1996 due to three summit finishes in Stage 2 (Gunung Jerai), Stage 4 (Cameron Highlands), and Stage 5 (Genting Highlands) remains extremely unpredictable.
With weather conditions expected to be volatile ranging from extreme heat to heavy downpours, riders’ endurance will be tested to the absolute limit over eight days.
This sets the stage for a fiercely contested battle until the very end across four major jerseys: the leader’s orange jersey sponsored by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS); the polka dot King of the Mountains jersey sponsored by Bubbles O2; the blue Sprint King jersey sponsored by the 2027 SEA Games and Para Games Organising Committee; and the white Best Asian Rider jersey sponsored by the National Sports Council (MSN).
LTdL26 kicks off today with Stage 1 from Shah Alam to Kampar (190km) and concludes with Stage 8 from Muar to Putrajaya (183.8km), covering a total distance of 1,285.5km.
The 2.ProSeries tour is organized by KBS through MSN, with full cooperation from the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).
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