Malucelli Eyes LTdL Sprint Jersey Despite Gruelling Climbs

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- XDS Astana Team's sprint sensation Matteo Malucelli is determined to win as many stages as possible to claim the King of Sprint Jersey at the 30th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2026, which kicks off tomorrow and runs until Oct 4.

Malucelli said he will push hard and be better prepared, aiming to make up for last year's disappointment when a crash on Stage Six from Shah Alam to Port Dickson forced him to withdraw and cut his campaign short.

"I will try to win as many stages as possible to reclaim the Sprint King jersey in the LTdL 2026 competition," he told Bernama when met on a flight from Istanbul, Turkey, to Kuala Lumpur, recently. 

Elaborating on his prospects, the Italian-born sprint specialist acknowledged that the competition remains formidable despite the absence of 2025 Sprint King winner Erlend Blikra of Uno-X Mobility Team and his main rival from Tudor Pro Cycling Team, Arvid de Kleijn.

"Even with the absence of several big names, sprinters from other teams who are present will definitely provide a very fierce challenge," he said.

While Blikra's absence certainly widens the window of opportunity for Malucelli, he is expected to face stern resistance from other world-class sprinters, including experienced campaigner Fernando Gaviria of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA.

For this milestone 30th edition, the King of Sprint Jersey will feature a distinctive blue design officially sponsored by the Malaysian Organising Committee for the 2027 SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games in partnership with LTdL 2026, serving as a strategic platform to promote the 2027 SEA Games in Malaysia. 

Nevertheless, this edition presents a critical test for sprint specialists from across all teams as they will have to endure three high-calibre climbing stages that will test their physical and mental endurance. 

Organisers have laid out particularly daunting climbing routes beginning with Stage Two from Taiping, Perak to the summit of Gunung Jerai, Kedah. 

Riders will then tackle back-to-back mountain tests in Stage Four from Meru Raya to Cameron Highlands, culminating in the iconic Stage Five featuring a gruelling 'Hors Categorie' (HC) ascent from Tapah to Genting Highlands.

Commenting on the mountainous routes that often prove a nightmare for sprinters, Malucelli said he and his team have mapped out a specific strategy to ensure his survival in the race.

"This year the challenge appears different because the organiser has added hill profiles to three main climbing stages consecutively.

"However, I remain ready to face this climbing challenge considering that each climbing stage has a strict race finish time limit (cut-off time) that must be adhered to in order to continue staying in the race," he said.

The UCI ProSeries-status LTdL 2026 promises intense competition, starting in Shah Alam, Selangor and concluding in Putrajaya, and featuring a 20-team field comprising two WorldTeams, eight ProTeams, nine Continental teams and the Malaysian National Team.

-- BERNAMA