State given to organise final three stages of bike race

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KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu government has provided RM1mil in sponsorship for the Le Tour De Langkawi (LTDL) as its final three stages is hosted in the state, for the first time outside Kuala Lumpur.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said the state was privileged to be the host sponsor for the 17th edition of the LTDL as it would benefit the people.

“The tourism turnover will benefit local traders especially when the LTDL crew, consisting of racers and organisers come into town.

Sponsored deal: Ahmad Said (second from right) presenting the RM1mil mock-cheque to Ab Jalil at the sponsorship ceremony held in WIsma Datuk Iman.

“We will ensure that ample preparations are made to accommodate the race, which will be held from Feb 24 until March 4,” he told pressmen after handing over a mock-cheque of RM1mil to the organisers on Sunday.

Terengganu’s selection as the host for the final three stages is from Pekan, Pahang to Chukai covering a distance of 100.8 km (Stage 8), on March 2. The start and finish of Stage 9, covers 165.7 km from Kemasik to Kuala Terengganu and the final stage, starts in Tasik Kenyir and ends in Dataran Syahbandar, covering a distance of 114.8 km.

Ahmad said hosting the final three stages of the competition would be towards realising the state’s dream of having its racers compete in other world-class cycling event such as Le Tour De France.

“The organisers have actually given us more than what we had expected from our discussions in Nilai last year, as they had only promised us one stage.

“But now the Youth and Sports Ministry has taken it a step further by giving us the chance to host what is actually two and a half stages, so it was very difficult for us to refuse this offer,” he said.

Ahmad also announced the state would be holding a statewide cycling month and a series of Yellow Rides in the build-up to the actual race.

He also called on the organisers to invite the likes the Champion System team of China, which has two Terengganu-born riders – Anuar Manan and Adiq Husainie Othman as well as OCBC Cycling Team of Singapore, which has recently hired Ahmad Haidar Anuawar, who is from Kemaman.

Meanwhile, National Sports Council Sports Management Division director Datuk Ab Jalil Abdullah said Terengganu was picked as host venue sponsor, outside Kuala Lumpur, in a recognition to the state for its efforts in being at the forefront of development in the sport.

“The state has produced a constant stream of talent including the likes of national track stars Azizulhasni Awang and Fatehah Mustapa, along with a host of road stars like Anuar Manan, Adiq Husainie Othman and Harrif Salleh.

The state also sponsors the country’s only professional team, the Terengganu Cycling Team, a UCI Continental Team and are deserving of becoming the host,” he said.

He added most of the country’s best riders were born and groomed here, and it was apt for Terengganu to host the LTDL.