KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – The 29th edition of the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (LTdL25) is set to feature a high-calibre peloton, with three WorldTeams and eight ProTeams confirmed to compete in the eight-day race from September 28 to October 5. This lineup, which includes nine teams that have competed in the prestigious Grand Tours, positions LTdL25 as one of Asia’s most competitive cycling events.
The three confirmed WorldTeams are XDS Astana Team (Kazakhstan), Team Picnic PostNL (Netherlands), and Cofidis (France). This matches the number of elite teams that participated in the previous edition, according to National Sports Council (NSC) Director General, Jefri Ngadirin.
The field is further strengthened by eight ProTeams, six of which have a history in the three Grand Tours. TotalEnergies, Tudor Pro Cycling Team, and Uno-X Mobility have competed in the Tour de France; VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane and Team Polti VisitMalta in the Giro d’Italia; and Burgos-BH in the Vuelta a España. The remaining two ProTeams, Unibet Tietema Rockets (France) and Team Solution Tech-Vini Fantini (Italy), are newcomers to the Malaysian tour.
Fierce Competition Expected on a Challenging Route
With a total of 22 teams—including 10 Continental teams and the Malaysian national team—the competition is expected to be fierce from start to finish. Although the iconic Hors category climb to Genting Highlands will not be featured for the second consecutive year, two key stages are set to be the battlegrounds for the overall individual classification and the King of Mountains jersey: Stage 3 (Gerik-Pasir Puteh) and Stage 5 (Temerloh-Bukit Fraser).
Jefri Ngadirin stated, “The battle is expected to be drawn out until the final day as Stage 7 involves the longest ride which is 214.6km from Melaka to Medini, Johor, in addition to the final stage of 180km from Tangkak to KLCC.” This route, which traverses all 12 states of Peninsular Malaysia over a total distance of 1,257.8km, promises a demanding challenge for all competitors.
Local cycling fans will have the opportunity to cheer on two home teams, Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) and Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC), alongside the national squad. The peloton also includes seven other Continental teams from across Asia and Australia, with a debut appearance from China’s Chengdu DYC Cycling Team.
Top Sprinters to Add Excitement
LTdL25 Chief Operating Officer (COO), Emir Abdul Jalal, noted that while the full list of riders is still pending, the organizers have received preliminary confirmations of some big names that will raise the profile of the race. Among them are formidable sprinters with Grand Tour victories:
- Fabio Jakobsen (Team Picnic PostNL): The 31-year-old has 46 career victories, including two stages in the Tour de France and five in the Vuelta a España.
- Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility): At 38, Kristoff is a seasoned veteran with four stage victories in the Tour de France and wins in prestigious one-day classics like Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders.
- Alberto Dainese (Tudor Pro Cycling Team): The 27-year-old Italian has two stage victories in the Giro d’Italia and one in the Vuelta a España.
“For us, this is a great honor because the competition will also be joined by three big names who have a collection of victories in the Grand Tours and various European tours and one-day classics, which will simultaneously raise the profile and image of the LTdL itself,” said Emir.
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The LTdL25 holds ProSeries status on the UCI Asia Tour calendar and is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (NSC) in collaboration with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF). Its robust lineup of WorldTeams and ProTeams reinforces its status as one of the most prestigious cycling tours in Asia, surpassing other regional tours like the Tour of Qinghai Lake, Tour of Hainan, and Tour of Taihu Lake in terms of elite team participation.
