KUALA LUMPUR – Bubbles O2, the producer of Malaysia’s only naturally oxygenated mineral water brand, today announced its partnership with the PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi (PLTdL) 2025 – becoming the official sponsor of the highly-coveted King of the Mountain (KOM) jersey for the 2025 race.
After two years as the official natural mineral water partner and sponsor of the Most Combative Rider Award, Bubbles O2 is taking a major step forward by backing the iconic green polka dot jersey. This prestigious classification has been a highlight of the 28-year-old race, consistently drawing attention from riders and fans alike.
National Sports Council (NSC) Director General, Jefri Ngadirin welcomed the move and expressed confidence that the decision stemmed from the company’s trust after experiencing the strong returns from its sponsorship over the past two years.
”I am certain that this sponsorship upgrade, which requires a much larger investment, was made after the company witnessed firsthand on the effectiveness and significant returns from their previous sponsorship,” said Jefri.
“PLTdL will continue its comprehensive promotional efforts, including international broadcasts on Eurosport, live coverage on Astro Arena and streams on Facebook and YouTube, along with all promotional activities throughout the race route. I am confident that as one of the four main jersey sponsors, Bubbles O2 will see an even greater return on their investment at PLTdL 2025.”
The announcement was made during the Official Bubbles O2 Sponsorship Ceremony at NSC Casa 4 in Bukit Jalil today.
Among those present at the event were Bubbles O2 Executive Chairman, Tuan Haji Arifin Marzuki, NSC Deputy Director of Sports Development, Sofian Hamzah, NSC Event Management Division Director Mohd Safrushahar Yusoff and PLTdL25 Secretariat Chief Operating Officer, Emir Abdul Jalal.
Meanwhile, Haji Arifin said the decision to sponsor the KOM jersey was made as the package offered aligned with the company’s direction, particularly in strengthening the brand and promoting Bubbles O2 to international markets.
“This step is aligned with our marketing and branding strategy to position Bubbles O2 as an international mineral water brand, with PLTdL providing wide promotional opportunities both domestically and abroad,” he said.
The KOM jersey category is regarded as one of the most unique and popular jerseys in major cycling tours such as the Tour de France, as it showcases a climber’s strength in conquering steep routes and their tactical ability to break away from the peloton to collect points at designated climbing zones.
In this year’s PLTdL25, the race for the Bubbles O2-sponsored jersey is expected to be intense. The returning champion, Mario Aparicio Munoz from the Burgos-Burpellet BH team, will face stiff competition from riders like Aaron Gate (XDS-Astana), Davide Bais (Team Polti VisitMalta), Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility), Unai Iribar Jauregi (Equipo-Kern Pharma) and Vadim Pronskiy (TSG).
The final stage, a challenging 180.2km route from Tangkak to the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, features a Category 3 climb at Mantin and two Category 2 climbs at Bukit Antu and Ampang LookOut. The contest for the green polka dot jersey is expected to continue right up to the finish line.
The 29th edition of PLTdL25 is a 2. ProSeries event on the UCI Asia Tour calendar. It kicks off in Langkawi on September 28 and concludes at the KLCC on October 5, covering a total distance of 1,244.2km.
As one of Asia’s most prestigious races, drawing 22 teams from around the world, the event is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (NSC), with support from the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).
The race will begin in Langkawi Island on September 28 with the first stage covering a distance of 96.7 kilometers (km) followed by Stage 2 from Padang Besar, Perlis to Kepala Batas, Penang (166.1km); Stage 3 from Gerik, Perak to Pasir Puteh, Kelantan (198.2km); Stage 4 from Kuala Terengganu to Kemaman (141.5km); Stage 5 from Temerloh to Fraser’s Hill, Pahang (123.1km); Stage 6 from Shah Alam, Selangor to Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan (123.5km); Stage 7 from Melaka to Medini, Johor (214.9km) and Stage 8 from Tangkak, Johor to Kuala Lumpur (180.2km) on October 5.
