Latest Cycling News for February 5, 2004Edited by Chris Henry Tour de Langkawi preview"A mini Vuelta a Espaņa"By Anthony Tan
The 2004 edition of the Telekom Malaysia Le Tour de Langkawi (TMLTdL), the fourth richest cycling event on the UCI calendar, is a markedly different and on paper, much more exciting route than previous years, with its mixture of short but tough stages resembling a mini Vuelta a Espaņa. Strongly backed by the Malaysian government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the brainchild of former Prime Minister, Y.A.Bhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the TMLTdL boasts the highest UCI rating for a stage race outside Europe, its UCI 2.2 classification on par with the Giro del Trentino, Tour de Picardie and tours of Belgium, Germany and Poland. In the past, the Tour de Langkawi has often reached its climax on the stage to Genting Highlands, a brutal 25 kilometre climb finishing at an eye-popping altitude of 1,713 metres. With no decisive stages in between in terms of overall classification, the Genting stage, held on the penultimate day the previous two years and also this year, has invariably determined the ultimate winner of the race. However, organisers of the Tour de Langkawi have sensed the need for a possible shake-up earlier on to create further interest in the event, and the parcours for the this year's event provides a welcome change. Featuring three mountain stages and an individual time trial midway through the race, the winner of the Tour de Langkawi may well be decided by the second stage to Tanah Rata in the Cameron Highlands - though what is assured is a far more aggressive and exciting race than ever before. With the start in Penang on February 6, this year's race will not be visiting the holiday island of Langkawi. Instead, the race shall be based solely on the mainland, following a coastal route down the western seaboard to Johor Bahru on the country's southern tip, then doubling back up the coast before finishing in the capital of Kuala Lumpur 10 days later. Totaling a distance of 1250.9 kilometres, this year's edition of the Tour de Langkawi not unlike a mini Vuelta a Espaņa, a race that has often come down to the wire in recent years, thrilling fans and spectators alike. The scene has been set for a similar outcome in Malaysia, now just a few weeks' away. Cyclingnews will be providing extensive coverage of the 2004 Tour de Langkawi, including live race reports, full results, photos, interviews and features stories, and tech coverage. The Stages
Past Winners2003 Tom Danielson (USA) Saturn 2002 Hernan Dario Munoz (Col) Colombia-Selle Italia 2001 Paolo Lanfranchi (Ita) Mapei-Quick.Step 2000 Christopher Horner (Usa) Mercury 1999 Paolo Lanfranchi (Ita) Mapei-Quick.Step 1998 Gabrielle Missaglia (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi 1997 Luca Scinto (Ita) MG-Technogym 1996 Damian Mcdonald (Aus) Giant-AIS Aerts enjoying Qatar tune-upBelgian Mario Aerts (T-Mobile), a former winner of the Flèche Wallonne classic, is enjoying a successful winter of preparation and early season racing at the Tour of Qatar. "Here, obviously, the results are not terribly important," Aerts said of the Qatar racing in a La Dernière Heure interview. "It's later on that we have to distinguish ourselves, since the competition is tight within the team. T-Mobile is like the Real Madrid of cycling." With the return of Jan Ullrich to the team, and other stars such as Alexandre Vinokourov, Paolo Savoldelli, and Cadel Evans, not to mention classics specialist Daniele Nardello, Aerts knows his place on this year's Tour de France team is not guaranteed. "For the Tour, we're 16 going for the nine available places," he explained. "I absolutely want to be there. I'm aware that the level I had last year won't be good enough for the 2004 Tour team, even if last year I feel like I did my share of the work. In 2003 I profited from the withdrawals of Cadel Evans and Paolo Savoldelli, which won't be the case this time. They too are eager to show their talents in the Grande Boucle." The Tour remains a logical objective, but Aerts will also plan to show himself in the spring classics once again, particularly the Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne, Amstel Gold Race, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, as well as the Paris-Nice stage race. "I've had a perfect winter," Aerts noted. "No accidents and I already have 6,500 kilometres in the computer before the Tour of Qatar. I feel like I've worked well." US Bicycling Hall of Fame 2004 inducteesThe United States Bicycling Hall of Fame has announced its inductees for 2004. Selections are made based on a review of nominations accepted from the national cycling community and the general public. The Selection Committee is comprised of cycling experts in various areas of competitive and recreational cycling and all living Hall of Famers. Recipients will be formally inducted at the Annual Dinner & Induction Ceremony in Bridgewater, New Jersey on Sunday, May 30. The Induction Ceremony coincides with the weekend series of international road and criterium events run in Somerset County, culminating with the running of the Tour of Somerville on Memorial Day. The class of 2004: Veteran (pre-1945): Reggie McNamara 05-Orbitel in FloridaThe Colombian Division III team 05 Orbitel is planning to enter a six-man squad into the team road race competition of the Bike Across Florida 2004, with Hernan Dario Bonilla leading the team. The Bike Across Florida is a pro-am cycling marathon of 267 km on April 18. The race starts in Cocoa Beach on the Atlantic coast and finishes at Crystal River on the Gulf coast. For more information regarding the Bike Across Florida 2004 see www.signs-graphics.com/BAF.htm. 26th Leongatha Cycling CarnivalOn Saturday the 14th of February at 1pm the Annual Leongatha (Australia) Cycling Carnival will kick off for the 26th time with Australia's top track cyclists competing in non stop action till 10:30pm. The event includes handicap races, with the feature Leongatha 2,000 metre wheelrace. The final events will be held under lights. Organisers have received entries from 180 cyclists to date, including Kerrie and Anne Meares, Kate Mactier, Nathan Clarke, Darren Young, and Daniel Thorson, among others.
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