CANADIAN-based Continental outfit Floyd Pro Cycling have sounded early warnings to the fast men in the peloton as they set their sights on winning some stages in the upcoming Le Tour de Langkawi 2019 which gets underway on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur.
Former LTdL stage winner Travis McCabe will be Floyd’s main man on the flat as the team seek to continue their fine run in this part of the world, after winning the overall individual title in the recent Tour of Taiwan.
McCabe finished third in the sprint classification in Tour de Taiwan behind Kinan’s Yasuharu Nakashikaand Nipo Fini Vantini’s Giovanni Lonardi.
The team’s main general classification (GC) contender Jonathan Clarke, 34, is considered as among the leading contenders in the bunch following his (GC) win in Taiwan. This will be Clake’s fourth appearance in the Tour since 2012.
Floyd, owned by former Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, looks formidable with a balanced set of young and experienced riders alongside having the hands of Gordon Fraser, its Directeur Sportif, who had previously won a stage of Le Tour de Langkawi back in 2001.
McCabe, formerly with United Healthcare Pro team, has set himself a target of winning at least three stages this time around, bent on denying top favourite and record stage winner Andrea Guardini of Bardiani from making a clean sweep in the 8-stage race.
“I’ve raced here before two years ago and won two stages in 2017 edition. It’s been a good start for me in Asia, especially after coming in third in the sprints competition in Taiwan,” said the 29 year-old Prescott-born McCabe, upon his arrival for the Tour at KLIA here.
McCabe addmited that the Guardini’s presence will make it hard for other sprinters in the peloton. “The team have their ways and strategies and hopefully, everything turns out well,” asid McCabe.
Just into their first year of operation, Floyd’s Pro Cycling will be aiming to impress and with former LTdL winner Gordon Fraser now acting as manager, the team stand a good chance to make it big in the UCI2.HC-1225.8km race.
LTdL 2019 starts off in Kuala Lumpur oin April 6 and ends in Langkawi on April 13.
Former Tour of Korea winner Serghei Tvetcov will be the other rider to look out in the team and is in strong contention for the GC.
The Team: JONATHAN CLARKE (Aus) • EMILE JEAN (Can) • TRAVIS MCCABE (Aus) • KEEGAN SWIRBUL (USA) • SERGHEI TVTETCOV (Rou) • NICKOLAS ZUKOWSKY (Can).
This year’s edition will start off with a challenging 176.9 km hilly route from the PETRONAS Twin Towers (KLCC) in Kuala Lumpur, to Dataran Tampin in Negeri Sembilan. The 8-stage race covers a total distance of 1,234 km, mainly on the west coast route.
The much awaited Genting climb takes place on the fourth day from Shah Alam. Langkawi will host the penultimate and final stages on 12 and 13 April respectively.
In tandem with the Tour’s “Sports Unite, Cycling Contributes” theme, the organisers are hoping that this year’s edition receives even greater response and support from spectators, masses and fans across Malaysia.
Malaysian and European fans will be able to catch the action via a 90-minute live broadcast of the race and a 30-minute daily highlights throughout the eight-day event. Overall, LTdL is looking at a coverage of over 100 counties with 310 million viewers on television and 70 million viewers through Cycling.TV.
To enhance fan experience and to encourage the community to come out and support this event, accompanying activities will be held at the finishing location of each stage throughout the race.
