Reduced Stages Won't Affect Hors Classe Status Of LTdL 2015 - Kronenburg

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Jan 15 (Bernama) -- The shortened edition of the prestigious cycling race in Asia, Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2015, from 10 stages to eight will not affect the Union Cycliste Internationale's (UCI) Hors Classe rating. LTdL Technical Director Geoff Kronenburg said the decision to reduce the stages was to accommodate requests from world renown cycling teams that had reservations to participate in the LTdL due to its long duration (10 stages). Kronenburg who denied claims that the number of stages were reduced due to financial constraints said the decision to reduce the number of stages would instead attract more world class teams to the LTdL. "Since the LTdL is being held at the start of the season, many world class teams have requested the duration to be shortened. But the reduced stages will not mean the tour is not challenging," he told reporters at the sponsorship handing ceremony by Vittoria Industries Asia Pacific at Menara KBS, here Wednesday. Kronenburg said since many of the routes that were affected by the recent floods had been repaired, the race would be staged as planned while the Technical team would recce the roads starting Thursday. "We have been informed by the Public Works Department that roads damaged by the floods have been repaired. The technical team will Reece the roads and submit a report to the management," he said. Kronenburg said though most of the teams participating in this year's LTdL are teams that have participated in the tour before, local cycling fans would be in for some surprises. "Local cycling fans will be in for some surprises in this year's edition," said Kronenburg who did not reveal the names of the new editions. -- BERNAMA