Kuala lumpur: Kazakhstan’s WorldTeam outfit, XDS Astana Team, has announced its preliminary roster of six riders for the 2025 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL), set to take place from September 28 to October 5. The team has strategically included two sprint specialists, Matteo Malucelli and Gleb Syritsa, in its lineup in anticipation of the eight-stage race.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malucelli, a standout performer from last year’s LTdL, secured the red jersey for sprints and claimed victory in three stages, while Syritsa has four LTdL stage wins to his name. Their inclusion in the team underscores Astana’s focus on dominating the sprint stages of the race.
The remaining four riders in Astana’s preliminary list are Aaron Gate, Anton Kuzmin, Nicolas Vinokurov, and Lev Gonov. The LTdL Secretariat chief operating officer, Emir Abdul Jalal, pointed out that the team’s strategy is expected, given that six stages of the race are flat, favoring teams with sprint specialists.
Emir highlighted that Astana’s approach might also be aimed at countering other formidable sprint specialists such as Tudor Cycling’s Alberto Dainese and Team Picnic PostNL’s Fabio Jakobsen, both of whom have notable victories in the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espa±a. However, he noted that Astana’s strategy could adapt based on various factors and race situations, emphasizing the team’s strong presence as a WorldTeam.
The 29th edition of the LTdL will traverse all 11 states and the Federal Territory in Peninsular Malaysia, covering a total distance of 1,257.8 kilometers over eight stages. The race has attracted participation from three WorldTeams, eight ProTeams, 10 Continental teams, and Malaysia’s national team. As a UCI ProSeries race on the Asia Tour calendar, it is organized by the Youth and Sports Ministry through the National Sports Council in collaboration with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation.
The race will commence in Langkawi on September 28, with the first stage covering 96.5 kilometers, and conclude in Kuala Lumpur on October 5. The stages will take the cyclists through various locations, including Padang Besar, Penang, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and Johor, offering a diverse and challenging route for the participants.