Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) organisers Human Voyage plan to hold a criterium and a one-day race in the mould of the spring classics as part of the silver jubilee celebrations for the UCI Pro Series tour next year.
Human Voyage chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Mustafa said initially the plan was to expand LTdL from eight to 10 stages next year.
It is, however, not possible as UCI have limited Pro Series events to eight days.
The tentative dates are Feb 6 for the criterium (in Kota Kinabalu), Feb 7-14 for the LTdL Tour and Feb 15 for the one-day race (in Langkawi).
These dates, however, have yet to be approved by UCI.
“UCI have limited Pro Series events to eight stages, but for our 25th anniversary they have allowed us to hold the criterium and one-day race just before and after LTdL,” said Mustafa in Subang Jaya yesterday.
“We have applied for these dates in February instead of March as they are just after the Tour Down Under (Jan 21-26) and Cadel Evans Road Race (Jan 30-Feb 2) in Australia, and before the European classics season.
“We hope to hold the criterium and one-day race annually from next year.”
Ahmad added that the organisers are expecting between six and 10 world tour teams in the LTdL next year.
He disclosed that the race next year, which will enter Sarawak for the first time since 1997, will cost no less than RM20 million to organise.