Money will be right on the dot for LTdL, say organisers

PETALING JAYA: There will be no delays in the payment of prize money to Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) winners, and the problems of 2014 were just a hiccup.

The 2014 edition of the LTdL was marred by unpaid prize money by the Malaysian National Cycling Federation’s (MNCF) but LTdL organisers Human Voyage Sdn Bhd gave an assurance that there will no issues thanks to UCI’s new system.

The silver jubilee edition of the International Cycling Union (UCI) Pro Series will be held from Feb 7-14.

“We had never had issues with the prize money payout before and this time, just to be sure, we are using the UCI system for the first time in the LTdL,” Human Voyage Sdn Berhad Chief Operating Officer (COO) Shahaizereen A Hamid told a press conference in Putrajaya yesterday. “UCI have developed a new system to curb the issues of non-payment of prize money.

“We will register through MNCF in the system and UCI will disburse the prize money directly to the winners.”

The LTdL will have eight stages and two more additional races – an international criterium race in Kota Kinabalu on Feb 6 and an international classic race in Langkawi on Feb 15 – to mark its 25th anniversary.

The only time LTdL was held in Borneo before this was during the second edition in 1997 and that was plagued with logistic issues.

“The criterium and the classic races are separate events held in conjunction with the 25-year anniversary and these races will be individual events,” he added.