Orica-GreenEDGE Back In LTdL With Sprint Rising Star Caleb Ewan

photo: Le Tour de Langkawi facebook

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- Australian pro team, Orica-GreenEDGE has confirmed participation in the 20th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) which will be held from March 8 to 15.

According to the organiser, Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, the team will be here with their top and rising sprinter Caleb Ewan.

"Our race has a 20-year long history of Australian sprinters delivering a great show on our roads. I remember watching Jay Sweet winning stages in the very first edition back in 1996. It'll be great to see Caleb (Ewan) in Malaysia before he performs in Europe," said 2015 LTdL chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin in a statement Tuesday.

In the history of the race, Australia are second to Italy with 24 stage wins in total.

Ewan is predicted to follow the path of other Australian cycling sensations such as David McKenzie, a stage winner in 1999; Graeme Brown who won nine stages from 2002 to 2005; Stuart O'Grady, a double stage winner in 2003; and Michael Matthews in 2010.

The 20-year-old Ewan officially started his pro career with the 2014 Tour of Beijing, where he won second place in stage 1 on Oct 10, after winning silver medal at the U23 world championship road racing in Ponferrada, Spain in September.

"Le Tour de Langkawi will be my first race of the year out of Australia. The team has chosen for me a racing calendar that allows me to target some victories.

"Winning is my reason to cycle. I'm excited to ride at Le Tour de Langkawi as I know I'll have some opportunities to try and win a stage or more. I've heard a lot of good things about Malaysia and I've seen many pictures of sprints from this race. They look great!" said Ewan.

Besides Ewan, the Orica-GreenEDGE has selected a strong contingent consisting of time triallists and lead out men Damien Howson (Australia), Sam Bewley (New Zealand), Adam Blythe (Great Britain) and Leigh Howard (Australia) alongside their GC rider Pieter Weening of the Netherlands, who returns to Malaysia for the third year in a row.

The Dutch stage winner of last year's Giro d'Italia finished second in the 2013 LTdL behind Colombia's Julian Arredondo.

"Weening is a world class rider, also a former pink jersey holder at the Giro. His desire to come back is an honor for us, Malaysians. We're looking forward to seeing these great cyclists in action here," said Abdul Malik, who is also Human Voyage Sdn Bhd chief executive officer.
-bernama.