Kuala lumpur: Fresh from a stage victory last year, the French ProTeam Unibet Rose Rockets appears poised to make a significant impact in the 30th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi 2026 (LTdL26), which kicks off on September 27. The National Sports Council (NSC), as LTdL secretariat, announced today that the six-rider squad, led by manager Joram Grootveld, comprises four capable climbers and two sprint specialists. This lineup suggests ambitions that go beyond the single stage win secured by Zeb Kyffin in Stage 7 last year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, spearheading the challenge for Unibet-which finished second overall last year-are 24-year-old Cedrik Bakke Christophersen, who placed fifth overall in LTdL25, and 25-year-old Dutch rider Owen Geleijn, who finished 22nd. Christophersen, who finished just 11 seconds behind LTdL25 winner Joris Delbove (TotalEnergies), appears to be in peak form, having recently claimed a stage victory and an eighth-place overall finish at the Arctic Race of Norway last month. The experience gained during LTdL25 will be shared with 25-year-old German rider Peter Jannis and 23-year-old Norwegian rider Eivend Broholt Fougner, particularly on the climbing stages.
The two sprint specialists capable of springing a surprise on the flat stages are 31-year-old Irish rider Rory Townsend and 22-year-old French youngster Ronan Auge. "However, it is interesting-and entirely possible-that last-minute changes could occur, as the Zwolle-based team (known last year as Unibet Tietema Rockets) has also listed the accomplished 38-year-old rider Wout Poels-a Grand Tour stage winner at both the 2023 Tour de France and the 2023 Vuelta a Espa±a-alongside another strong climber from the Czech Republic, Adam Toupalik," said Emir Abdul Jalal, chief operating officer of LTdL26 Secretariat.
Meanwhile, Emir Abdul Jalal noted that the roster submitted by Unibet suggests an intention to dominate the three summit-finish stages at Gunung Jerai, Cameron Highlands, and Genting Highlands. "The team certainly did their homework before deciding which riders to send to LTdL26, as the race profile differs significantly from last year's single, relatively easy climb to Fraser's Hill. The inclusion of Wout Poels on the reserve list confirms their serious intent to make a greater impact this time; Poels is a highly respected figure on the international stage, boasting 26 career victories and extensive experience with WorldTeam squads-starting with Vacansoleil in 2011 before stints with Sky, Bahrain Merida, and Astana," he said.
LTdL26, a 2.ProSeries event, will kick off with Stage 1 from Shah Alam to Kampar on September 27 and conclude with Stage 8 (Muar to Putrajaya) on October 4, covering a total distance of 1,285.5 km.