Dataran Lang in Kuah here once again witnessed the excitement of the introduction ceremony of the 22 teams competing in the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2024 cycling race tonight. The last time Langkawi hosted a symbolic ceremony before the race officially started was in 2018. The grand ceremony was launched by the Tunku Mahkota of Kedah Tunku Shazuddin Ariff Sultan Sallehuddin and Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Adam Adli Abdul Halim. A total of 132 riders representing 22 teams with WorldTeam, ProTeam, Continental and the national team will give fierce competition in this edition which covers a total race distance of 1,190 kilometres (km) across 10 states in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak. The 2024 LTdL Race will start this Sunday in Langkawi for Stage 1, followed by Stage 2 from Arau to Butterworth, Taiping to Cameron Highlands (Stage 3), Kuala Kubu Baru to Bentong (Stage 4), Kuala Lumpur to Melaka (Stage 5), Batu Pahat to Kulai (Stage 6), Miri to Bintulu (Stage 7), and Bintulu (Stage 8). The Stage 1 race covers a distance of 96.5km from Kuah around Langkawi Island with all teams going through a category four climb at Look Out Point Langkawi, apart from three sprint zones at Harbour Park, Bayas and Padang Matsirat. Source: BERNAMA News Agency