KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- The national road cycling squad is taking a realistic approach to its target for the 30th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2026, which will be held from Sept 27 to Oct 4.
National coach Mohd Yusof Abdul Nasir said the focus would be on riders with strong climbing abilities, with three major climbs scheduled from the early stages through Stage Five of the race.
He said the national squad must assess their current capabilities before setting overly ambitious targets for the eight-stage race, although an overall victory should not be ruled out.
"We have to face the challenge of LTdL26 without underestimating ourselves. We hope the riders can seize every opportunity, learn and put up a strong challenge. If we cannot finish high in the overall standings, being the best Asian team would already be a good result.
"We will assess things according to how each stage unfolds," he said at a press conference on LTdL 2026 here today.
At the event, he introduced four key riders who will spearhead Malaysia’s challenge: Muhammad Zawawi Azman and Muhammad Yusri Shaari of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), as well as Muhammad Adam Hakimi Nazuan and Chan Jian Le of Selangor.
Four other riders -- Muhammad Zahin Wah (ATM), Ameer Ahmad Kamal (PDRM), Tsen Ren Han (Kuala Lumpur) and Nazirul Aniq Abd Rahman (Johor) -- will compete for the remaining two spots in the six-man squad.
Yusof said the team would not field pure sprinters this year, instead prioritising versatile riders capable of climbing before producing a strong finish in the sprint.
"We are prepared for the climbs this year. We don’t have a super sprinter, but we have riders who can climb and also sprint, such as Jian Le, Adam Hakimi and Yusri Shaari.
"Zawawi Azman is also back with the team and will be our captain this year. We also have young rider Ren Han, who has gained experience racing in Europe, particularly in Spain," he said.
LTdL 2026 STAGES
Stage 1 (Sept 27): Shah Alam-Kampar (193.0 km)
Stage 2 (Sept 28): Taiping-Gunung Jerai (145.6 km)
Stage 3 (Sept 29): Sungai Petani-Kuala Kangsar (189.7 km)
Stage 4 (Sept 30): Meru Raya-Cameron Highlands (142.3 km)
Stage 5 (Oct 1): Tapah-Genting Highlands (125.7 km)
Stage 6 (Oct 2): Pandan Indah-Rembau (121.3 km)
Stage 7 (Oct 3): Melaka-Batu Pahat (158.9 km)
Stage 8 (Oct 4): Muar-Putrajaya (188.3 km)
-- BERNAMA