2012 race planning ahead of schedule, organisers may push for WorldTour status in future years
Having confirmed earlier reports that Garmin-Cervélo and Astana had committed to competing in next year’s Tour de Langkawi, the race organisers are hoping to attract further WorldTour teams to the 2012 edition of the race.
Thirteen teams have been confirmed in recent days. The organisers said that the final total would be 22 teams, leaving nine remaining squads to be confirmed prior to the February 24th start date. A source close to the race said that the organisers are working towards having further WorldTour teams in the 2.HC event.
Apart from Garmin-Cervélo and Astana, the confirmed teams including the ProContinental squad United Healthcare (USA), the Continental squads MTN Quebeka (South Africa), Aisan Racing Team (Japan), Chipotle Development Team (USA), PureBlack Racing (New Zealand), Drapac Professional Cycling (Australia), Max Success Sports (China), Terengganu Pro-Asia Cycling Team and LeTua Cycling Team (both Malaysia), plus the national teams of Malaysia and Taiwan.
The 2012 edition will be the seventeenth holding of the race, and will total over 1,400 kilometres in all. It will begin on February 24th with a 20.2 individual time trial in Putrajaya, the first such test since 2006. It will then continue with road stages to Melaka, Parit Sulong, Muar, Pandan Indah Ampang, Genting Highlands, Kuantan and Cukai, then concludes with two stage finishes at Kuala Terengganu.
With both the route and over half the teams confirmed over six months prior to the start of the event, it’s clear that it is ahead of schedule. The organisers had a Main Coordinating Committee (MCC) meeting on Friday and said then that there is a full commitment to making the race run as smoothly as possible.
"All the states and government bodies involved are happy to be chosen and host venues for 2012 and have pledged to give their full support to ensure the success of LTdL," said Youth and Sports Committee secretary general Dato’ Mohid Mohamed. “LTdL's progress for the 2012 is on schedule, the states involved are called much earlier on this time so they can prepare in advance.”
In June the organisers said that they wanted the 2012 edition to act as a showcase prior to what it hopes will be a step up in status in future years. They said then that next February’s race would “be one that showcases the race's readiness to become part of the UCI World Tour series.”
The WorldTour series has four races outside of the European heartland of the sport; the first was the Santos Tour Down Under, which made the step up in 2008. The second and third occurred last year when the GP Cycliste de Quebec and GP Cycliste de Montreal were first held. The fourth will happen in October when the first edition of the Tour of Beijing takes place.
The UCI has said that globalisation of the sport and the expansion of the WorldTour is one of its big goals for the future. On that basis, a concerted push from Malaysia could potentially find traction and see the country host a round of the series.
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Tour de Langkawi 2012:
Confirmed teams (13 out of 22)
ProTeam:
Astana - Kazakhstan
Team Garmin-Cervelo - USA
Pro Continental:
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team - USA
Continental:
MTN Quebec – RSA
Aisan Racing Team - Japan
Chipotle Development Team - USA
PureBlack Racing - New Zealand
Drapac Professional Cycling - Australia
Max Success Sports - China
Terengganu Pro-Asia Cycling Team - Malaysia
LeTua Cycling Team - Malaysia
National:
Malaysia National Team
Taiwan National Team
2012 race route:
Stage 1, 24 February: Putrajaya Individual Time Trial (20.2 km)
Stage 2, 25 February: Putrajaya - Melaka (151 km)
Stage 3, 26 February: Melaka - Parit Sulong (177.6 km)
Stage 4, 27 February: Batu Pahat - Muar (169.4 km)
Stage 5, 28 February: Ayer Keroh - Pandan Indah, Ampang (188.4 km)
Stage 6, 29 February: Proton, Shah Alam - Genting Highlands (108 km)
Stage 7, 1 March: Bentong - Kuantan (215.8 km)
Stage 8, 2 March: Pekan - Cukai (100.8 km)
Stage 9, 3 March: Kemasik - Kuala Terengganu (169.4 km)
Stage 10, 4 March: Kuala Terengganu - Kuala Terengganu Loop (114.1 km)
Total distance: 1414.8 km