WITH a budget that's halfway to what is required, the 14th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) set for Feb 9-15 next year has already been overtaken by its older but usually poorer sibling the Jelajah Malaysia.

The Jelajah Malaysia, slated for Jan 11-18, continues to grow with an increase to eight stages from seven this year, while the LTdL, for 13 years the country's most prestigious cycling event, has been shortened to seven stages from nine this year and 10 last year.

The reasons? Jelajah Malaysia organiser 10-Speed Sdn Bhd wants to capitalise on the possibility of selling the 2.2 grade, privately funded race to more destinations, while the top notch 2.HC (hors category) LTdL suffers the consequence of previously heavy dependence on now well-shrunk Government cash injections.

Having recovered from the controversies surrounding the race organised by the now defunct First Cartel Sdn Bhd in 2005 and 2006, LTdL was organised by the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) last year, while this year's race was organised by the Sports Ministry with several MNCF officials in charge of relevant departments.

Next year's event has been handed back to the MNCF, which is now in the midst of a mad scramble to raise sponsorship.
A relatively modest budget of RM7.5 million against an ideal RM15 million has been secured, still putting a strain on the struggle to maintain the race's status as the biggest event on the UCI Asia Tour calendar.

MNCF president Abu Samah Wahab as the organising chairman, his deputy Datuk Naim Mohamad the chief operating officer and vice president Maniam Manikkam as technical director are the main characters in the struggle.

"In order to ensure the race is sustainable and within our control, we cannot have it expensive. We cannot have lengthy routes," said Naim.

By contrast, the lower ranked Jelajah Malaysia has been held the past two years on an annual budget of no more than RM3 million, but the LTdL, which is contested by Pro Tour and professional continental teams, requires that amount just to secure contracts with top teams and provide for their travel.

Naim said three different budgets had been planned in taking into account several scenarios.

The first one, costing RM15 million, would cover everything from the cost of holding the race, with vital international television coverage and exceeding requirements to meet with the race's status as a 2.HC event.

The second at RM10 million would see a race without television coverage and budget cuts in other areas.

"Plan C will see us have just the race, with nothing else, which we are ready to hold as it stands. Right now, we are still in the midst of negotiations with corporate companies, so all I can say is that even in the worst case scenario, the race will happen," said Naim.

But fears are that Plan C could see the hors category status of the race come under threat as other requirements pertaining to hotels, the entourage, logistics and media coverage would not be met.

"This is our fear, definitely. But we're also doing it differently this time. The race is no longer an exercise that spends taxpayers' money, but instead we're selling advertising space and mileage of the international event to corporate sponsors like it is supposed to be," said Naim.