KUALA LUMPUR – Three former WorldTeam riders will bolster the challenge of the Italian ProTeam, Solution Tech-Vini Fantini at the eight-day PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2025 (PLTDL) scheduled to kick-off on September 28.
Previously known as Team Corratec and having competed in the PLTdL2022, the team’s riders are no strangers to Asian races, having accumulated many victories. This showed that the issue of extreme hot weather will not be a major problem for the team.
Leading Solution Tech’s charge will be three experienced riders who have previously competed with WorldTeams – Alexandre Balmer (formerly of Jayco-AIUla), Matteo Fabbro (Bora-Hansgrohe) and sprint specialist Dusan Rajovic (Bahrain-Victorious).
According to PLTDL Chief Operating Officer, Emir Abdul Jalal, the combination of these three experienced riders and two original Corratec riders from PLTdL22 provides a balance that will allow them to challenge for either stage wins or the overall individual green jersey sponsored by PETRONAS.
“We often see ProTeams and Continental Teams give tough competition to the elite WorldTeams at PLTdL and based on their individual strengths, Solution Tech looks like one of the teams capable of providing the challenge this year.
“Majority of the riders they are sending are those who frequently raced in Asia and have achieved numerous successes over the past few years,” Emir said in a statement today.
A rider who will certainly attract attention is the 27-year-old Serbian sprint specialist, Rajovic, who has collected 18 professional wins, including being crowned King of Sprints at this year’s Tour of Sharjah, Istrian Spring Tour, Tour de Kumano and Trans-Himalaya Cycling Race.
Rajovic, who is also the Serbian national time trial champion, has secured 11 stage wins this year alone and is seen as a contender for the KBS-sponsored Orange Jersey for King of Sprints at PLTdL25 which runs from September 28 to October 5.
He is expected to be assisted by his compatriot, Djordje Djuric, 25, and 28-year-old Italian rider Attilio Viviani, who also competed in PLTdL22, particularly as the peloton approaches the finish line on the six flat stages of PLTdL25.
The three riders who will challenge for the overall individual classification are Balmer, Fabbro and Allesandro Iacchi, who competed with Corratec in PLTdL22.
“Fabbro has ridden in five Grand Tours, while Iacchi has also competed at the Giro d’Italia once. Balmer, who is considered a one-day race specialist, is expected to choose Stage 3 and Stage 8 to showcase his skills,” Emir added.
PLTdL25 will traverse all 12 states in Peninsular Malaysia over eight stages, covering a total distance of 1,243.5 km, starting in Langkawi Island and ending in front of KLCC.
The 2.ProSeries tour on the UCI Asia Tour calendar is organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) through the National Sports Council (MSN) with the support of the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF).
The race will begin in Langkawi Island on September 28 with the first stage covering a distance of 96.5 kilometers (km) followed by Stage 2 from Padang Besar, Perlis to Kepala Batas, Penang (170.1km);
Stage 3 from Gerik, Perak to Pasir Puteh, Kelantan (198.2km); Stage 4 from Kuala Terengganu to Kemaman (140.8km); Stage 5 from Temerloh to Fraser’s Hill, Pahang (133.7km); Stage 6 from Shah Alam, Selangor to Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan (123.4km); Stage 7 from Melaka to Medini, Johor (214.6km) and Stage 8 from Tangkak, Johor to Kuala Lumpur (180.5km) on October 5.
SOLUTION TECH-VINI FANTINI RIDER LIST
- ALEXANDRE BALMER (SUI)
- MATTEO FABBRO (ITA)
- DJORDJE DURIC (SRB)
- DUSAN RAJOVIC (SRB)
- ALESSANDRO IACCHI (ITA)
- ATTILIO VIVIANI (ITA)
