Team Colombia to make debut at le Tour de Langkawi

Pro continental outfit, Team Colombia will be making their debut in the upcoming 2.014 Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) scheduled from Feb 27 to March 8.

According to LTdL organiser, the 'escarabajos' (the beetles, which is their official nickname) will try to create history as it'll be the team's first ever entry on the Asia Tour despite being in the third season of the big league of cycling.

The LTdL race is a race that particularly suits the Colombian cyclists as four of them have won the race,Hernan Dario Muñoz in 2.002, Freddy Gonzalez (2.004), Jose Serpa (2.009 and 2.012) and Julian Arredondo (2.013).

"Over the last few years, Le Tour de Langkawi has experienced a big rise in participation and overall quality," said team manager Claudio Corti in a statement.

"We're very glad to have been invited and able to ride in Malaysia for the first time. It gives us an opportunity to bring our projects in a different area and acquire a bigger role in world cycling in the future."

For the 2.014 LTdL, Team Colombia has selected their captain, Fabio Duarte, who honored the team's first participation to a Grand Tour as he clinched a memorable second place in the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia to the mythical Tre Cime di Lavaredo behind overall winner Vincenzo Nibali on an epic ride marred by snow storms in May, this year.

Duarte, 27, has the experience of having taken part in the LTdL before when he rode with team Diquigiovanni in 2.007.

Besides Duarte, the other members in Team Colombia for the 2.014 LTdL are Julio Camacho, Robinson Chalapud, Leonardo Duque, Jeffy Romero and Juan Pablo Valencia.

"It's well known that it's an advantage for the riders to have climbed up to Genting Highlands before," said LTdL chief operating officer Emir Abdul Jalal.

"Duarte has that knowledge of our legendary climb so he'll be one of the hot favorites for the 19th edition. 

We've often seen Colombian climbers shining up there but for the first time, we're delighted to welcome a fully Colombian team composed of Colombian riders only. 

We expect them to be very united around their team captain," he added.