FOUR climbers are set to strengthen Italian ProTeam Polti-VisitMalta in their second appearance at the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2025 scheduled to begin from Sept 28 to Oct 5.
After failing to make an impact at last year’s edition, the Spanish-based team, with the legendary influence of Ivan Basso and Alberto Contador, is fielding four “all-rounder” climbers who can challenge for the overall individual Green and King of the Mountain jerseys.
Leading the team will be 27-year-old Italian rider, Davide Bais who has competed in the Giro d’Italia three times and won Stage 7 in 2023.
LTdL25 chief operating officer Emir Abdul Jalal stated that the strategy of sending four climbers this time shows the team’s determination to shine after being somewhat overshadowed in their first appearance in 2024.
“Many teams that race in the LTdL for the first time want to deliver their best results to show appreciation and repay the organiser’s invitation, as well as to hopefully earn additional points to be invited again in the future.
“I feel that Polti, who raced as Polti-Kometa last year, wants to target a stage winner and an overall individual classification winner this year and consequently be invited again in the future,“ said Emir in a statement on Monday.
Last year, Polti failed to win any stage and their best rider, Fernando Lopez Tercero, 23, who is also on this year’s six-rider roster, only managed to finish fourth in the individual overall classification.
In addition to Bais and Tercero, the other two Polti climbers this year are Spanish cyclist Alex Martin, 25, and Colombian-born German Dario Gomez, 24.
“So this year, it will be interesting to see Polti’s strategic moves at Stage 3 (Gerik-Pasir Puteh) and Stage 5 (Temerloh-Bukit Fraser) since there are Category 1 climbs on both routes,“ said Emir.
The sprinter named by Polti this year is Manuel Penalver, who finished second in Butterworth and third in Bentong last year.
The 26-year-old Spanish rider is considered to be in good form after winning a stage at the Tour of Qinghai Lake this year, along with two second-place finishes.
Penalver’s push to the finish line on the flat stages will certainly be supported by another young Italian-born Polti sprinter, Gabriele Reccagni, 22. – National Sports Council
