KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — The Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) will hold a meeting with the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) on the status of Malaysia’s prestigious cycling event, Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL).

The country’s iconic cycling race was demoted to a 2.1 category by the International Cycling Union (UCI) at its Management Committee meeting at the end of September.

MNCF president Datuk Abu Samah Wahab when asked about the move to appeal to UCI, said it was dependent on the outcome of a meeting with KBS next Monday.

"As for now, we have to wait for October 7 (Monday)...if we are appealing, it is to join UCI’s newly introduced Pro Series as the Hors class is no longer available next season,” he said.

For the 2020 cycling tour calendar, UCI has introduced a new category by introducing a series of professionals to replace the Hors class category.

However, Abu Samah declined to comment further when asked whether Malaysia would get the opportunity to host the professional series.

Abu Samah said there were two factors that caused LTdL to be listed in category 2.1 next year.

"The problem we all know is the lack of World Tour status teams as well as the lack of international media coverage,” he said.

The LTdL was introduced in 1996 and was upgraded as Hors Class (HC) race in 2003.

MNCF vice-president Datuk Amarjit Singh recently was reported as saying that LTdL’s racing status would be downgraded to UCI 2.1 ranking, next year.

Amarjit, who is also a member of the UCI Management Committee, has revealed that the reasons for LTdL status being downgraded was because there were no World Tour teams at the 24th edition this year. — Bernama