Cyclists get ready for Le Tour de Langkawi - AsiaRooms.com

AsiaRooms.com can announce that top cyclists from around the world will be heading to Malaysia next month in preparation for the 15th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi.

Taking place from March 1st to 7th, the race is Asia's premier cycling event and will see riders contest seven different stages over a gruelling 1,001 kilometres.

People staying in hotels in Langkawi have been enjoying the event since 1996, although the current edition of the tour does not actually pass through the island from which it takes its name.

However, this does not mean that visitors to Langkawi should not consider a trip to the mainland to experience the thrilling race.

This year, Le Toru de Langkawi will travel through the Malaysian states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Malaka, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, as well as the federal territories of Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.

Stage two represents the longest individual ride, with the cyclists travelling 182.9 kilometres between Kuala Terengganu and Chukai.

A total of 20 teams will be competing in the race this year, included five pro-continental outfits and four foreign national teams.

Speaking at the launch of the event in November last year, tour spokesperson Dato Razali Haji Ibrahim said: "Every year the tour grows in recognition.

"Organisation of events such as this not only strengthens the sport, it even more importantly contributes to generating income for the nation's economy."