Landslides alter route of penultimate stage at Le Tour de Langkawi

Landslides on Monday’s planned mountain stage forced organizers at Le Tour de Langkawi to alter the route of the final decisive GC stage of the eight-day race.

Road damage on four locations along the route prompted race officials to eliminate the summit finale at Gunung Raya in Monday’s 90km seventh stage.

Instead, the peloton raced on the same profile it will face again in Tuesday’s finale in the 107km circuit course at Kuah featuring a late-stage third-category climb.

On Monday, Sjoerd Bax (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won ahead of Willie Smit (China Glory Continental Cycling Team) and Adrià Moreno (Burgos-BH) out of a three-up sprint. Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) crossed the line sixth.

Click here to see video link of the floods.

Without the decisive climbing stage, overnight leader Iván Sosa (Movistar) looks to have a lock on the overall title.

The Colombian took the lead after winning at Genting Highlands on stage 3 ahead of Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost).

Sosa finished safely in the bunch Monday, and barring disaster or a major split in the peloton, Sosa should be in for the win.

Here is an official communique: 

Following meetings with the local authorities, which include the Road Works Department, Langkawi District Office, and Langkawi District Traffic Safety Committee, it was decided that the Stage 7 finish at the summit of Gunung Raya is cancelled due to concerns on safety of riders, teams, race entourage and the public.

The cancellation was made due to the landslides which occurred at four locations in Gunung Raya.

As such, the President Commissaire of the race has agreed that Stage 8 route will be used for the Stage 7 race.