SUNGAI PETANI, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari hopes that the climbing route to Gunung Jerai will remain part of the prestigious Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) cycling race calendar in the future.
He said this iconic route in Kedah, introduced for the first time this year, not only presents a fresh challenge for the cyclists but has also sparked tremendous excitement among local cycling fans.
"God willing, we hope all these exciting checkpoints can be retained so that we can share in that excitement together," he told reporters at the flag-off ceremony for Stage 3 of the LTdL (Sungai Petani to Kuala Kangsar) at Taman Jubli Perak, Sungai Petani, today.
Earlier, German cyclist Lennart Jasch made history in the LTdL by winning Stage 2 from Taiping to Gunung Jerai yesterday; the 25-year-old Tudor Pro Cycling Team rider clocked a time of 3 hours, 37 minutes, and 21 seconds.
Commenting on this year's edition, which covers a total distance of 1,285.5 kilometres (km), he noted that the race boasts a unique feature by including three uphill finishes: Gunung Jerai, Genting Highlands, and Cameron Highlands.
He added that the excitement and organisational efforts for the LTdL would be further refined and enhanced in the coming years, while also leveraging this year's event in collaboration with Malaysia SEA Games Organising Committee (MASOC) to promote the 2027 SEA Games.
The LTdL 2026 is scheduled to conclude on Oct 4 with the eighth stage race from Muar to Putrajaya.
-- BERNAMA