Platt of Team Bulls was a dominant force in his category, winning Stage 2 and Stage 4 – the king of the hill and never finished outside the top three throughout the entire event to take home the top prize, with a total cash prize of US$16,450, including US$15,000 as the overall winner.

The world No 7 was second on Stage 1, twice on top of the podium on Stage 2 and 4, third on Stage 3 and second on Stage 5 to clock a cumulative time of 7hrs 2:25mins.

Runners-up was South Africa’s World No 6, Burry Stander, of Team Specialized, who won today’s Stage 5, the 12-lap cross country 19km criterium but finished 3.45mins behind Platt, overall. Third was Italy’s Johnny Cattaneo of Full-Dynamix with a cumulative time of 7:11.04.

World No 8 Schneitter of Colnago Farbe Sudtirol, was unquestionably the MTB queen of Langkawi as she bagged four stage titles, with Stage 5 today as the icing on the cake.

Mounting the highest podium on Stages 1, 2, 3 and 5, Schneitter’s only blemish occurred on Day 4 when compatriot and team mate Vivienne Meyer reached the summit of Gunung Raya, 838m above sea level, ahead of the pack.

Schneitter’s splendid performance earned her a total of US$8,610, including US$7,000 as the women’s elite top performer.

In the men’s senior master, the overall winner was Craig Peacock of Australia, followed by runners-up Lieb Loots of South Africa’s Squirt and Adelaide Mountainbike Club’s John Edwin Allison.

In the men’s master category, Marzio Deho of Team Olympia Italy emerged tops with a total time of 6:50.53, followed by Britain’s Anthony White of Canondale Mount Zoom Racing and Malcolm McLeod (R and R Sport) New Zealand.

LIMBC 2011 featured five stages that began with Stage 1 on Tuesday with the 62km round island race, followed by the cross country Olympic which started and finished at Kampung Tok Senik Resort as Stage 2, Stage 3 a cross country Olympic at Telaga Harbour Park, Pantai Kok, followed by the lung-bursting 28km ride to the summit of Gunung Raya as stage 4 and culminating with the short circuit 19km criterium of 12 laps around Stadium Langkawi.

The race, organised by Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, is sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as the race’s gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University, Berjaya Corporation, AmBank Group, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and ALM Group Sdn Bhd as silver sponsors. AmBank Group is also the Official Bank. Proton Holdings Berhad is the official car sponsor.

The event is supported by KTM Berhad and the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel. Mutiara Smart Computing Sdn Bhd is the official ICT support partner. Daily highlights of LIMBC 2011 were shown over TV1 on RTM.

Results :

Men’s Elite (Stage 5 – cross country 19km, 12 laps):

1. Burry Stander (South Africa – Specialized) 0:42.12;

2. Karl Platt (Germany – Team Bulls) 0:42.13;

3. Johnny Cattaneo (Italy – Full-Dynamix)  0:43.07;

4. Szilard Buruczki (Hungary) 0:43.08;

5. Jason Sager  (USA – Team Jamis) 0:43.09;

6. Lachlan Norris (Australia – Giant Global Factory Off-Road Team) 0:43.09;

7. Thomas Dietsch (France – Team Bulls) 0:43.09;

8. Kazuhiro Yamamoto (Japan) 0:43.21;

9. Kris Sneddon (Canada – Team Kona) 0:43:24;

10. Kyle Ward (Australia) 0:43.32

Men’s elite race leader Platt took home the polka dot jersey as King of the Hill despite crossing the line on top of Gunung Raya, 838 metres above sea level, second to Australia’s Don McConnell.

McConnell’s victory was nullified as he had earlier been disqualified by the UCI panel of commissaires headed by Max Mager. The Australian cyclist did not start the Cross Country Marathon (XCM-Stage 1), making him ineligible to compete in the remaining stages. He was however unaware of the disqualification which had been relayed over the communique.

Platt who won Stage 2 at Kampung Tok Senik Resort, was credited with a time of  1 hour 03.57.103mins. Second was South Africa’s Stage 1 winner Burry Stander of Specialized in 1:03.58.099 and Italy’s Johnny Cattaneo of Full Dynamix 1:04.00.44.

“All along I wanted to keep pace with the leaders. It was a good ride up the mountain, I’m happy to have won the jersey. Tomorrow, with a short distance criterium, I am optimistic of landing the overall title,” said Platt.

While Platt kept the yellow jersey for a third successive day, Colnago Farbe Sudtirol rider Nathalie Schneitter of Switzerland too maintained her spot on top of the women’s elite general classification after finishing second behind her compatriot and team mate, Vivienne Meyer, at Gunung Raya.

Both Meyer and Schneitter were bunched together with some of the men’s elite riders en route to the top before Meyer upped the tempo to carve a comfortable lead in the last three kilometres.

“I’m happy that our team has managed a 1-2 finish for the third time and the fourth consecutive day a stage title has gone to our rider,” said Colnago trainer, Edmund Telser.

The Stage 4 race saw the presence of two British professional road cyclists Chris Froome and Adam Blythe at the flag off at Stadium Langkawi. Froome and Blythe clocked 1:04.08.438 and 1:24.31.299 respectively but were not placed on the race classification.

The top local rider in men’s elite was Ahmad Fauzan Lutfi while Masziyaton Mohd Radzi remains the top local women’s elite rider.

LIMBC 2011 draws to a close tomorrow with a cross country criterium at Stadium Langkawi, with a lap distance of 1.94km per lap within 45 minutes each category.

The race, organised by Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, is sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as the race’s gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University, Berjaya Corporation, AmBank Group, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and ALM Group Sdn Bhd as silver sponsors. AmBank Group is also the Official Bank.

The event is supported by KTM Berhad and the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel. Mutiara Smart Computing Sdn Bhd is the official ICT support partner.

Daily highlights of the event is shown on RTM’s TV1 at 12.00 midnight.

Results –

Men’s Elite:

1. Karl Platt (Germany – Team Bulls)  1:03:57.103;

2. Burry Stander (South Africa –  team Specialized) 1:03:58.099;

3. Johnny Cattaneo (Italy – Full-Dynamix)  1:04:00.004 ;

4. Jason Sager  (USA – Team Jamis) 1:04:00.066;

5. Szilard Buruczki (Hungary) 1:04:00.668 ;

6. Lachlan Norris (Australia – Giant Global Factory Off-Road Team) 1:04:01.242;

7. Nino Surban Quebi (Philippine – Philippines Cycling) 1:04:11.819 ;

8. Thomas Dietsch (France – Team Bulls) 1:04:14.467;

9. Bartosz Banach (Poland – Mroz-Activejet)  1:04:14.802;

Women’s Elite:

1. Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland – Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) 1:14:36.792;

2. Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland – Colnago Farbe Sudtirol)  1:15:00.523;

3. Naomi  Hansen  ( Australia – Noosa Bike Shop) 1:15:03.174;

4. Masziyaton Mohd Radzi  (Malaysia – Kedah) 1:15:58.365;

5. Michela Benzoni  (Italy – Lissone) 1:16:51.794;

6. Lisa Jacobs (Australia-Ride Happy) 1:17:15.210;

7. Jodie Willet (Australia) 1:18:17.050;

8. Ikumi Tajika (Japan) 1:18:31.939;

9. Eszter Dosa (Hungary) 1:20:19.018;

10. Helen Julia Beswick (Malaysia – Giant) 1:21:18.697.

Master Master:

1. Marzio Deho  (Italy – Team Olympia) 1:03:59.684 ;

2. Malcolm McLeod  (New Zealand – R and R Sport) 1:10:49.769;

3. Simon Knowles  (Australia) 1:12:11.634;

4. Anthony White  (United Kingdom – Canondale Mountzoom Racing) 1:13:14.312;

5. Pierre Arnaud Le Magnain  (France) 1:16:51.987;

6. Azizan Manaf (Malaysia – Giant) 1:18:13.104;

7. Alvin Lim (Singapore – Entro MTB team)  1:18:28.139;

8. Andrew Paul Davison (Australia) 1:21:01.137;

9. Prasort Chimart  (Thailand – Phuket Beach Boy)1:21:01.530 ;

10. Tiong Teik Meng,A (Malaysia) 1:25:57.979

Senior Master Men :

1. Lieb Loots ( South Africa – Squirt ) 1:13:11.317 ;

2. John Edwin Alliso ( Australia-Adelaide Mountain ) 1:16:13.157 ;

3. John Henderson ( Australia-Anytime Fitness ) 1:17:57.379 ;

4. Craig Peacock ( Australia-MTBA ) 1:17:57.795

Two road aces invited to saddle up for LIMBC 2011 – the Vuelta runners-up Chris Froome and BMC Racing Team new acquisition Adam Blythe – could set the tone when they take part in tomorrow’s Stage 4 of the mountainbike event, a cross country King of the Hill with a summit finish from Langkawi Stadium to Gunung Raya, here.

“I think it will be good for professional road riders to take a break and try their hand at mountainbiking after a hectic and long season. We’ve already gotten some positive feedback from riders in Langkawi on the race. They seem to like the single track and course profile, saying that it’s one of the best they’ve taken part in.

“I would have competed in Langkawi if not for my commitment with Team Sky,” said Froome who enjoyed a breakthrough season with a second place finish in Spain last month.

Lachlan Norris (centre) celebrate his Stage 3 win, flanked by runner-up Karl Platt (left) and Johnny Cattaneo who finished third on Day 3 of LIMBC 2011

Blythe who recently signed for Swiss-American outfit BMC Racing Team, joining Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, 2010 world champion Thor Hushovd and prolific winner Philippe Gilbert in the peloton, said:

“I think the biggest challenge for any European rider to compete here is the heat and humidity, but my first impression of the island is that it has a structure in place.” They were speaking to the local and foreign media at the Loaf Bakery & Bistro at Perdana Quay, Telaga Harbour in Pantai Kok, near here. Also present was LIMBC race organiser, Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin. Abdul Malik said: “LIMBC is only into its second year but we have with us here two world-class road cyclists, which I hope will set a new trend.”

Chris Froome (right), Malik Mydin and Adam Blythe (left)

Earlier men’s elite defending champion Lachlan Norris of Giant Australia claimed Stage 3 cross country Olympic format, winning by a 40-second margin over second placed Johnny Cattaneo of Full Dynamix. The top Aussie clocked 1 hour, 20mins 52.931s, followed closely by Cattaneo and Stage 2 winner, Karl Platt of Team Bulls in 1:21.28.451.

In the women’s elite, there was no stopping Swiss rider Nathalie Schneitter as she cruised to her third successive stage win, covering the six-lap race in 1:13.45.442, followed by her Colnago Farbe Sudtirol team mate, Vivienne Meyer and Jodie Willet. “From the start, both Vivienne and I wanted to remain in front because otherwise it would have been congested, having been flagged off together with the master and senior categories. I really enjoyed the course today, because it had some interesting climbs and downhill trail.

“But I’m a little bit wary of tomorrow’s race because climbing is not my forte. Our task is to remain in the fray before the steep ascent. Vivienne is a stronger climber, so our focus is to keep the overall lead,” said the Colnago Fabre Sudtirol cyclist.

LIMBC 2011 resumes tomorrow with the nerve-shredding King of the Mountain and cross country race which will end at the Gunung Raya Hill as Stage 4. The distance is 27.8km with the first half of the race mostly flat terrains before a steep climb to the finish line.
The race, organised by Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, is sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as the race’s gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University, Berjaya Corporation, AmBank Group, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and ALM Group Sdn Bhd as silver sponsors. AmBank Group is also the Official Bank.

The event is supported by KTM Berhad and the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel. Mutiara Smart Computing Sdn Bhd is the official ICT support partner.
Daily highlights of the event is shown on RTM’s TV1 at 12.00 midnight.

Results –

Men’s Elite (8 laps):

1. Lachlan Norris (Australia – Giant Global Factory Off-Road Team) 1:20.52.931;

2. Johnny Cattaneo (Italy – Full-Dynamix) 1:21.28.439;

3. Karl Platt (Germany – Team Bulls) 1:21.28.451;

4. Wolciech Halejak (Poland – Mroz Activejet) 1:23.00.038;

5. Jason Sager (USA – Team Jamis) 1:23.09.381;

6. Burry Stander (South Africa – team Specialized) 1:23.16.224;

7. Szilard Buruczki (Hungary) 1:23.21.637;

8. Thomas Dietsch (France – Team Bulls) 1:23.26.388;

9. Bartosz Banach (Poland – Mroz-Activejet) 1:23.40.779;

10. Kohei Yamamoto (Japan – Bridgestone Anchor) 1:24.18.945;

Women’s Elite (6 laps):

1. Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland – Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) 1:13.45.442;

2. Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland – Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) 1:13.46.249;

3. Jodie Willet (Australia) 1:14.31.141;

4. Naomi Hansen (Australia – Noosa Bike Shop) 1:17.50.385;

5. Michela Benzoni (Italy – Lissone) 1:18.35.867;

6. Katherine O’Shea (Australia) 1:18.41.184;

7. Masziyaton Mohd Radzi (Malaysia – Kedah) 1:20.10.090;

8. Eszter Dosa (Hungary) 1:20.42.383;

9. Ikumi Tajika (Japan) 1:22.38.484;

10. Yolande Speedy (South Africa – MTN Qhubeka) 1:22.58.724;

Master (6 laps):

1. Marzio Deho (Italy – Team Olympia) 1:07.27.485;

2. Simon Knowles (Australia) 1:12.12.934;

3. Anthony White (United Kingdom – Canondale Mountzoom Racing) 1:12.47.110;

4. Malcolm McLeod (New Zealand – R and R Sport) 1:14.38.695;

5. Pierre Arnaud Le Magnain (France) 1:18.42.690;

6. Prasert Chimart (Thailand – Phuket Beach Boy) 1:18.44.437;

7. Azizan Manaf (Malaysia – Giant) 1:18.45.105;

8. Nor Effandy Rosli (Malaysia) 1:20.12.479;

9. Alvin Lim (Singapore – Entro MTB team) 1:1:20.13.474;

10. Andrew Paul Davison (Australia) 1:20.38.002.

Senior (6 laps):

1. Craig Peacock (Australia – MTBA) 1:12.59.751;

2. Lieb Loots (South Africa – Squirt) 1:15.37.906;

3. John Edwin Ellison (Australia – Adelaide MTB) 1:17.14.721;

4. John Henderson (Australia – Anytime Fitness MTB team) 1:18.27.971;

5. John Funk (Canada – Dead Goat) 1:27.48.618

Platt’s bullish effort in the men’s elite category cross country Olympic discipline today allowed him to finish the race two minutes ahead of Stage 1 winner Stander of South Africa.
“I recovered well from yesterday’s race and adopted a cautious approach, but having tested the course earlier, I knew what to expect. I knew it was going to be tough. I practically sat on the bike for the first few laps before upping the tempo in the second round.

Winner Karl Platt leads South Africa’s Burry Stander on the Stage 2 cross country Olympic discipline on Oct 19

“I must congratulate the organisers, the Langkawi guys, for putting up a very good course today, a lot of tight single tracks switchbacks that required good technique,” said 33-year old Platt, a three-time Cape Epic champion and world No 7 in elite marathon. The Team Bulls rider clocked 1:30.26.562, followed by South African champion Stander (1:32.24.68) and Johnny Cattaneo (Italy – Full-Dynamix) (1:32.57.874). The win for Platt came with USD450 cash prize.
Stage 3, a cross country lap race at Telaga Harbour in Pantai Kok shall bear witness to another thrilling race.

In the women’s elite category, Swiss rider Nathalie Schneitter grabbed her second consecutive stage win as she blew her opponents away on the same course, reaching the finish line with a six-minute advantage.
The 25-year old, a member of the Swiss team that bagged the silver medal in the MTB cross country World Championship last month, covered the six-lap race of 4.7km per lap in 1 hour, 53 minutes 03.599 seconds. Second was Jodie Willet from Australia and third Schneitter’s team mate, Vivienne Meyer.

“I’m pleased to earn precious 30 points in my bid to qualify for the Olympic Games. The course was interesting and I rode much to my strength.

Karl Platt (centre) flanked by Burry Stander (left) and Johnny Cattaneo (right) on the podium on Day 2 of LIMBC 2011

“Having had a good rest after the Stage 1 win yesterday, I entered the race today with the right frame of mind. What I will do next is to take a break and go to the beach before thinking of Stage 3,” said the Colnago Fabre Sudtirol cyclist who has taken home USD 960 for her two successive wins so far. From the 27 riders at flag-off today, only eight were classified as official finishers.
Earlier the race was flagged off by General Manager of TM Kedah/Perlis, Pauziah Taib, representative of gold sponsors Telekom Malaysia, at the Kampung Tok Senik resort.

LIMBC 2011 features five stages that began with Stage 1 around the Kuah town, followed by yesterday’s Stage 2. Stage 3 will be a special cross country marathon at Telaga Harbour Park, Pantai Kok, followed by the nerve-shredding King of the Mountain and cross country race which will end at the Gunung Raya Hill as Stage 4, before the event culminates with Stage 5, a cross country short circuit race.
The race, organised by Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, is sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as the race’s gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University, Berjaya Corporation, AmBank Group, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and ALM Group Sdn Bhd as silver sponsors. AmBank Group is also the Official Bank.

Nathalie Schneitter (second from right), winner of women’s elite Stage 2 alongside runner-up Jodie Willet (second from left) and Vivienne Meyer (extreme left) pose with General Manager of TM Kedah/Perlis, Pauziah Taib.

The event is supported by KTM Berhad and the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel. Mutiara Smart Computing Sdn Bhd is the official ICT support partner.
Daily highlights of the event is shown on RTM’s TV1 at 12.00 midnight.

Results –

Men’s Elite (7 laps):

1. Karl Platt (Germany – Team Bulls) 1:30.26.562 ;

2. Burry Stander (South Africa – team Specialized) 1:32.24.68;

3. Johnny Cattaneo (Italy – Full-Dynamix) 1:32.57.874;

4. Lachlan Norris (Australia – Giant Global Factory Off-Road Team) 1:34.09.314;

5. Thomas Dietsch (France – Team Bulls) 1:35.13.557;

6. Szilard Buruczki (Hungary) 1:35.26.002;

7. Bartosz Banach (Poland – Mroz-Activejet) 1:35.50.209;

8. Ben Henderson (Australia – Anytime Fitness MTB) 1:36.23.650;

9. Thomas Turner (USA – Team Jamis) 1:36.36.509,

10. Jason Sager (USA – Team Jamis) 1:36.55.684.
Women’s Elite (6 laps):

1. Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland – Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) 1:53.03.599;

2. Jodie Willet (Australia) 1:59.31.179;

3. Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland – Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) ;

4. Katherine O’Shea (Australia) 2:05.15.723;

5. Michela Benzoni (Italy – Lissone) 2:05.15.723;

6. Ikumi Tajika (Japan) 2:08.12.329;

7. Yolande Speedy (South Africa – MTN Qhubeka) 2:09.05.829;

8. Erin Greene (New Zealand – R and R Sport) 2:11.49.829.

Master (5 laps):

1. Marzio Deho (Italy – Team Olympia) 1:23.29.402;

2. Simon Knowles (Australia ) 1:30.41.627;

3. Anthony White (United Kingdom – Canondale Mountzoom Racing) 1:31.59.039;

4. Prasert Chimart (Thailand – Phuket Beach Boy) 1:37.23.340;

5. Alvin Lim (Singapore – Entro MTB team) 1:39.22.891;

6. Malcolm McLeod (New Zealand – R and R Sport) 1:40.26.938;

7. Pierre Arnaud Le Magnain (France) 1:43.09.827;

8. Azizan Manaf (Malaysia – Giant) 1:54.59.450;

9. Gregory John Dick (New Zealand – Marlborough MTB) 2:01.13.205 ;

10. Zamani Supartin (Malaysia) 2:04.11.726

Senior (4 laps):

1. Craig Peacock (Australia – MTBA) 1:14.52.671;

2. John Henderson (Australia – Anytime Fitness MTB team) 1:17.28.487;

3. John Edwin Ellison (Australia – Adelaide MTB) 1:18.40.612;

4. John Funk (Canada – Dead Goat) 1:32.01.582;

5. Lieb Loots (South Africa – Squirt) 1:32.32.431;

In a dramatic tussle to the finish line between two of the top-ranked riders in the peloton, Stander outsprinted Germany’s Karl Platt of Team Bulls to stop the clock at 2hrs 24mins 20.5s at Langkawi Stadium.

World No 6 Stander who came accompanied by his father Charles, was ecstatic with the excellent start.

“The first hour of the race was quite a struggle for me, but it was an interesting race on an interesting course. It’s a great start and a close finish.

“I’m still feeling jet-lagged and trying to cope with the weather as it was like racing on high altitude but overall, to win Stage 1 is a wonderful feeling,” said Stander, who bagged the Cape Epic title, the African championship and the South African national championship earlier this year.

Platt, Germany’s three-time Cape Epic champ ranked No 7 in elite marathon category, was a wheel behind Stander, followed by France’s former European champ Thomas Dietsch who came in third in 2:26.12.2.

For Team Colnago Fabre Sudtirol, it was a good day in the office as Schneitter, world No 8 in cross country, crossed the finish line just ahead of team mate, Vivienne Meyer.

Schneitter, world No 8 in cross country, was pleased with her victory.

“It’s always great to win. Getting a 1-2 finish was a great start. As for Stage 2, I look forward to maintaining my position. Having trained on the course, I liked it and I expect an interesting race tomorrow (today),” said Schneitter.

Malaysia’s top finisher was former road cyclist, Fauzan Lutfi who clocked 2:50.03.2 to finish 25th.

Earlier the race was flagged off by honorary race patron, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the Langkawi Sports Complex here.

LIMBC 2011 features five stages that began with Stage 1 around the Kuah town, followed by the cross country Olympic which starts and finishes at Kampung Tok Senik Resort as Stage 2, Stage 3 a special stage race at Telaga Harbour Park, Pantai Kok, followed by the nerve-shredding King of the Mountain and cross country race which will end at the Gunung Raya Hill as Stage 4, before the event culminates with Stage 5, a cross country short circuit race.

The race, organised by Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, is sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as the race’s gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University, Berjaya Corporation, AmBank Group, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and ALM Group Sdn Bhd as silver sponsors. AmBank Group is also the Official Bank.

The event is supported by KTM Berhad and the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel. Mutiara Smart Computing Sdn Bhd is the official ICT support partner.

Results – Men’s Elite: 1. Burry Stander (South Africa – team Specialized) 2:24.20.5; 2. Karl Platt (Germany – Team Bulls) 2:24.20.8; 3. Thomas Dietsch (France – Team Bulls) 2:26.12.2; 4. Wolciech Halejak (Poland – Mroz –Activejet) 2:28.33.6; 5. Johnny Cattaneo (Italy – Full-Dynamix) 2:29.31.0; 6. Lachlan Norris (Australia – Giant Global Factory Off-Road Team) 2:29.37.9; 7. Adrian Jackson (Australia) 2:29.48.8; 8. Bartosz Banach (Poland – Mroz-Activejet) 2:30.44.9; 9. Daniel Gathof (Germany – Craft Rocky Mountain) 2:30.58.3; 10. Kohei Yamamoto (Japan) 2:31.10.4

Women’s Elite: 1. Nathalie Schneitter (Switzerland – Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) 2:56.40.2; Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland – Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) 2:56.46.5; 3. Jodie Willet (Australia) 2:58.52; 4. Michela Benzoni (Italy – Lissone); 5. Yolande Speedy (MTN Qhubeka) 3:04.44.1; 6. Masziyaton Mohd Radzi (Malaysia – Kedah SBS Giant) 3:09.12; 7. Jenny Fay (Ireland)  3:09.21.5; 8. Katherine O’Shea (Australia) 3:09.37.3; 9. Eszter Dosa (Hungary) 3:11.07.6; 10. Naomi Hansen (Australia) 3:12.41.6

Master: 1. Marzio Deho (Italy – Team Olympia) 2:37.05.3; 2. Prasort Chimart (Thailand – Phuket Beach Boy) 2:49.20.5; 3. Anthony White (United Kingdom) 2:57.55.8; 4. Alvin Lim (Singapore – Entro MTB team); 3:00.40.9; 5. Malcolm McLeod (New Zealand – R and R Sport) 3:03.07.6; 6. Nor Effandy Rosli (Malaysia) 3:11.21.9

Senior: 1. Lieb Loots (South Africa) 2:51.29.5 2. Craig Peacock (Australia) 2:55.22.2; 3. John Edwin Allison (Australia – Adelaide MTB) 3:04.33.6

Besides minor technical adjustments made upon advice from UCI commissaires, the organisers are looking forward to an action-packed five-day event, starring some of the world’s top 10 riders, including African champion, Burry Stander.

LIMBC 2011, dubbed the Tropical Forest Challenge, will officially start on Monday Oct 17 as registration day.

It will feature five stages that begin with Stage 1 on Oct 18 with the 60km round island race to be flagged off by race honorary patron, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, followed by the cross country Olympic which starts and finishes at Kampung Tok Senik Resort as Stage 2.

Stage 3 is a 6-hour endurance cross country special stage race at Telaga Harbour Park, Pantai Kok, followed by the nerve-shredding King of the Mountain and cross country race which will end at the Gunung Raya Hill as Stage 4, before the event culminates with Stage 5, a cross country short circuit race.

“Everything is going according to plan. The only technical change that has been made is the lap distance for Stage 3 endurance race, which has been shortened from 7km to 4.5km per lap.

“Our workforce is dutifully putting the finishing touches before the big flag off,” said race organiser, Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin.

Abdul Malik also welcomed the presence of UCI adviser, Kevin MacCuish, whose technical input would go a long way in helping make LIMBC a platform for Malaysia to bid for the right to host one of UCI World Cup series.

“It is our intention to bring one of the UCI World Cup legs into these parts of the world by 2013 and the UCI Mountainbike World Championship in 2015. LIMBC therefore will come under great scrutiny from UCI,” said Abdul Malik.

The second series of LIMBC has attracted a group of world-ranked riders, notably South Africa’s Olympic hopeful, Stander, Germany’s world No 7 Karl Platt and Italy’s world No 8 in women’s elite marathon rankings, Michela Benzoni.

Lending a touch of glamour to the race is the rare appearance of road ace Chris Froome of Britain. Froome, who finished runners-up in the recent Vuelta, the Tour of Spain,  and the promising Adam Blythe will be taking part in the later stages of LIMBC and also the jamboree as they seek some off-road action after an unforgettable season.

The race, organised by Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, is sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as the race’s gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University, Berjaya Corporation, AmBank Group, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and ALM Group Sdn Bhd as silver sponsors. AmBank Group is also the Official Bank. Proton is the official car sponsor.

The event is supported by KTM Berhad and the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel. Mutiara Smart Computing Sdn Bhd is the official ICT support partner.

His participation was confirmed today by race organiser, Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin.

A member of the world’s top-ranked cross country team, Specialized Racing, Stander is a podium contender for LIMBC based on his current ranking of No 6 in the UCI men’s elite cross country category.

The 24-year old who finished 15th in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, bagged the Cape Epic title, the African championship and the South African national championship earlier this year.

The Olympic hopeful is known for his aggressive style, technical skills and climbing prowess that brought him the bronze medal in the UCI World Championship in Quebec, Canada last year and the UCI Under-23 World Championship in 2009.

Stander’s presence lends prestige to the event as he joins some of the world’s top mountainbikers which include Italy’s world no 8 in women’s elite marathon, Michela Benzoni, Germany’s three-time Cape Epic champ Karl Platt and France’s former European champ Thomas Dietsch, who are world No 7 and 13 in the men’s elite marathon category respectively and Nathalie Schneitter, world No 8 in cross country.

Apart from the mountainbikers, LIMBC will bear witness to the participation of two British road cyclists – Chris Froome, who finished runners-up in the recent Vuelta, the Tour of Spain,  and the promising Adam Blythe.

LIMBC – The Tropical Rainforest Challenge, will run from Oct 17 to 23, featuring five stages that begin with Stage 1 on Oct 18 with the 62km round island race, followed by the cross country Olympic which starts and finishes at Kampung Tok Senik Resort as Stage 2, Stage 3 a 7-hour endurance cross country special stage race at Telaga Harbour Park, Pantai Kok, followed by the nerve-shredding King of the Mountain and cross country race which will end at the Gunung Raya Hill as Stage 4, before the event culminates with Stage 5, a cross country short circuit race.

An off-road jamboree ride marks the closing and final day of this much-anticipated race, with a limited participation of up to 1,000 riders for the 44km race. Social riders of all ages and backgrounds are welcomed to participate.

The race, organised by Human Voyage Sdn Bhd, is sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as the race’s gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University and Berjaya Corporation as silver sponsors. AmBank Group, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and ALM Group Sdn Bhd are silver sponsors. AmBank Group is also the Official Bank. Proton is the official car while Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Malaysia’s state-owned public channel, is the host broadcaster.

The event is supported by KTM Berhad and the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel. Mutiara Smart Computing Sdn Bhd is the official ICT support partner.

Earlier it was announced Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as the race’s gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University and Berjaya Corporation as silver sponsors.

In a press conference held today, Human Voyage (M) Sdn Bhd chief executive, Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin, expressed gratitude to LIMBC partners for their support in making sure the race boasts the biggest purse in Asia, with a whopping RM360,000 in cash and lucky draw prizes to be won in the race to be held on Oct 17-23.

“We wish to place our gratitude to our partners for their constant support in making LIMBC a brand of its own,” said Abdul Malik.

Also present was Head of Group Public Affairs, AmBank Group, Syed Anuar Syed Ali who presented a mock cheque to Abdul Malik to signify AmBank Group’s entry into LIMBC.

“We are delighted to come on board as the Official Bank and also as one of the Silver Sponsors for LIMBC, which is an international mountain bike race of stature. This is our first foray into mountain biking and the Group is proud to play an important role in promoting a healthy and fun activity which appeals to a cross section of the cycling fraternity,” said Syed Anuar.

Apart from the nine sponsorship partners, the event is supported by KTM Berhad and the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel. Mutiara Smart Computing Sdn Bhd is the official ICT support partner.

Also present at the media conference were national mountainbike champion, Shahrin Amir, veteran rider Suhardi Hassan, Mohd Razif Salleh and former SEA Games track gold medalist, Mohd Fauzan Mohd Lutfi.

Abdul Malik was also pleased to announce Adam Blythe, the talented young sprinter for Omega Pharma Lotto, as the latest road star to sign up for LIMBC.

British-born Blythe, who this week rides the Circuit Franco-Belge as defending champion, has confirmed he will join Tour of Spain runners-up Chris Froome (Team Sky) to test his mountain bike skills on the legendary island of Langkawi.

The young sprinter, who turns 22 this week, has already spent two and a half seasons in the professional peloton and twice ridden some of cycling’s greatest monuments, including the Giro d’Italia and both the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix as right-hand man to fellow team-mate and world number one Philippe Gilbert.

Despite having such an important supporting role, Blythe still managed to open his professional account in his first full season in 2010 with an impressive four wins and a fifth place in stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia. The promising youngster is now looking to add to that tally in the last remaining weeks of the season before heading to Malaysia for the LIMBC.

The attendance of both Blythe and Froome at the Langkawi event could well see a trend for top road riders to try their hand at mountain biking after a busy season.

Abdul Malik said: “It’s wonderful news to see world talents such as Adam and Chris joining us in Langkawi and it offers a mouth-watering prospect for participants and spectators alike.”

“It’s encouraging that the challenge of a world class mountain bike course and the beautiful environment of Langkawi appeals to all – from the very top of the sport globally to the recreational rider – plus the fact that absolutely anyone can participate alongside these stars is a unique opportunity for any sports fan,” added Malik.

Abdul Malik added in conjunction with LIMBC, participants and the public have the opportunity to purchase an array of cycling equipment at a very special discounted rate in a three-day exhibition at Menara TM which ends Friday Sept 29.

Deadline for registration is Sept 30. Registration is accepted either via online registration at www.mtbmalaysia.com or by sending the completed downloaded registration forms and proof of payment of registration fee to fax number 603-9222 1786 or via email info@mtbmalaysia.com. Participants and members of the media are also invited to look out for upcoming updates over facebook.com/mtbmalaysia or twitter.com/mtbmalaysia.

Currently competing with the British team in the World Championship in Copenhagen, Froome is looking forward to swapping his road bike for some off-road action on the legendary island of Langkawi on Oct 17-23.

The 26-year old said: “I actually started cycling through mountain biking, so it’ll be a nice change to switch away from the road bike for a bit and go back to my roots at the Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge.

“I believe Langkawi is a paradise for training, so I plan to ride an event or two and then spend some time enjoying a few outdoor activities, exploring a few places and taking in the scenery on my bike.”

Froome’s attendance is seen as a further boost to the Langkawi event which, into its second year, is already attracting considerable international interest from the mountain bike community.

Race organiser and Human Voyage CEO, Datuk Malik Mydin, said: “We are naturally delighted to have a rider of Chris’s stature come to Langkawi and participate in our event. I’m sure the other riders will relish the rare opportunity to meet him and ride alongside a true international star of cycling.

“The island of Langkawi provides him the perfect place to ride, relax and enjoy himself after his recent remarkable results and I’m sure his attendance will attract more world class athletes in the years to come. Above all his presence in the jamboree event will allow riders from all social strata to ride beside him. That opportunity does not come often,” said Malik.

Froome’s epic battle in the recent Vuelta a Espana with eventual winner Juan Jose Cobo had cycling fans around the world on the edge of their seats.

The Kenyan-born rider is highly regarded for his loyalty in assisting team-mate Bradley Wiggins in the mountain stages of the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana. However, he has in the past year enjoyed his own success with top-10 finishes in the Tours of Castilla y Leon, Luxembourg, Romandie and Switzerland.

He rode a blistering time-trial on stage 10 of the Vuelta to hold the overall leader’s jersey for a day, before a week of relentless attacks in the high mountains finally paid off in stunning style with a memorable win on Stage 17. By the time the race reached its finale in Madrid, Froome lay second overall, missing the top step of the podium by a mere 13 seconds.

Froome’s participation reaffirms LIMBC’s status as a world-class event with a world-class field, with more than 20 different nationalities registering for the week-long race.

Top elite team, Team Colnago Farbe Sudtirol boasts World No 12 Nathalie Schneitter, winner of the Champery leg of the World Cup series last year. Nathalie will be accompanied by Swiss champ, Vivienne Meyer.

Inaugural winner, Lachlan Norris, will be eager to defend his elite men’s title while United States’ No 1 Under-23 rider, Russell Finsterwald, will represent the Subaru Trek team.

German-based Team Bulls will parade former European champion Thomas Dietsch of France and German three time Cape Epic champ, Karl Platt.

Completing the stellar line-up of teams are Team Bridgestone Anchor of Japan which boasts an impressive lineup including Mountain Bike cross country three time Asian champion, Kohei Yamamoto and MTN Qhubeka of South Africa.

Team Qhubeka will parade multiple South African mountain bike champ Yolande Speedy and Paul Cordes.

The adventure trail begins with Stage 1 on Oct 18 with the 62km round island race, followed by the cross country Olympic which starts and finishes at Kampung Tok Senik Resort as Stage 2.

Stage 3 is a 7-hour endurance cross country special stage race at Telaga Harbour Park, Pantai Kok, followed by the nerve-shredding King of the Mountain and cross country race which will end at the Gunung Raya Hill as Stage 4, before the event culminates with Stage 5, a cross country short circuit race. An off-road jamboree ride marks the closing and final day of this much-anticipated race, with a limited participation of up to 1,000 riders for the 44km race. Social riders of all ages and backgrounds are welcomed to participate.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at The Sponsorship Announcement Press Conference on August 24

Asia’s current Mountain Bike champion, the United States’ top Junior rider, the Elite men’s defending champion, a former European champion, and the Elite women’s world number 12 are among those who will saddle up for the race on Oct 17-23.

Organisers of LIMBC 2011, Human Voyage (M) Sdn Bhd, also announced the partnership with Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Yayasan Al-Bukhary as gold sponsors, with Sapura Group, Genting Malaysia Berhad, Perdana University and Berjaya Corporation as silver sponsors.

Human Voyage CEO, Datuk Malik Mydin, said the second edition of LIMBC promises to be an unforgettable affair.

“With many top riders from Europe having confirmed their participation, we expect LIMBC 2011 to reaffirm its status as the ultimate race in Asia,” he said during the Sponsors Announcement and Press Conference of the LIMBC at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club here today. LIMBC’s Honorary Patron, YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, officiated the event.

Also present were Deputy Chairman Genting Malaysia Berhad, Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar, Telekom Malaysia Berhad Chief Marketing Officer, Rozalila Abdul Rahman, Sapura Technology Chief Operating Officer, Dato’ Rodzlan Akib Abu Bakar, Sathappan Ganeson, Executive Director of Chase Perdana and representatives of MyCEB, Yasmin Group, Jakel and Langkawi Bayview Hotel.

Race Honorary Patron Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad With LIMBC Sponsorship Partners

Dr Mahathir said the event was important as a tool to attract tourists to Langkawi.

“It is important to have an event such as this in Langkawi as a tool to promote the islands to tourists. With the anticipated huge media interest and coverage, we hope to have more tourists coming over to the island.

“The publicity that LIMBC is expected to generate will help in attracting tourists, instead of having to pay a massive amount to have promotional clips broadcast all over the world,” said Dr Mahathir.

Top elite team, Team Colnago Farbe Sudtirol boasts World No 12 Nathalie Schneitter, winner of the Champery leg of the World Cup series last year. Nathalie will be accompanied by Swiss champ, Vivienne Meyer.

Inaugural winner, Lachlan Norris, will be eager to defend his elite men’s title while United States’ No 1 Under-23 rider, Russell Finsterwald, will represent the Subaru Trek team.

Lachlan Norris Winner of Elite Men LIMBC 2010

German-based Team Bulls will parade former European champion Thomas Dietsch of France and German three time Cape Epic champ, Karl Platt.

Completing the stellar line-up of teams are Team Bridgestone Anchor of Japan which boasts an impressive lineup including Mountain Bike cross country three time Asian champion, Kohei Yamamoto and MTN Qhubeka of South Africa.

Team Qhubeka will parade multiple South African mountain bike champ Yolande Speedy and Paul Cordes.

Three-time South African mountain bike champ Yolande represented South Africa in the Beijing Olympics three years ago.
 
Cordes comes with the distinction of having won the the ABSA Cape Epic in 2007 and as well as coming 19th overall in the men’s category of the 2011 edition.

Malik expressed gratitude to LIMBC partners for their support in making sure the race boasts the biggest purse in Asia, with a whopping RM360,000 in cash and lucky draw prizes to be won. Apart from the six sponsorship partners, the event is supported by the Malaysian Conventions and Exhibitions Bureau (MyCEB), with Hotel Bayview Langkawi as the official hotel and Maybank the official bank.

“We wish to thank our partners for their constant support. I’m certain the race will help meet the returns on investments,” said Malik.

Malik added riders in the Masters (40 – 50) and Senior Master Men’s (51 & above) Categories will be allowed to compete without a valid UCI racing license. Only those of the Elite Men & Women’s Category are required to have a valid UCI license approved by their National Cycling Federation.

The adventure trail begins with Stage 1 on Oct 18 with the 62km round island race, followed by the cross country Olympic which starts and finishes at Kampung Tok Senik Resort as Stage 2.

Stage 3 is a 7-hour endurance cross country special stage race at Telaga Harbour Park, Pantai Kok, followed by the nerve-shredding King of the Mountain and cross country race which will end at the Gunung Raya Hill as Stage 4, before the event culminates with Stage 5, a cross country short circuit race. An off-road jamboree ride marks the closing and final day of this much-anticipated race, with a limited participation of up to 1,000 riders for the 44km race. Social riders of all ages and backgrounds are welcomed to participate.

For LIMBC 2011, entry fee for international participants is US$400, which includes race registration fee for stage race and jamboree event, accommodation, full board meals and return transfer to the airport. A supporter’s package is also available at US$300.

Race Honorary Patron Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with Human Voyage CEO Datuk Malik Mydin at The Sponsorship Announcement

Race entry fee for local riders is RM150 with free accommodation provided to the first 400 confirmed local participants to register. Riders wishing to participate only in the jamboree may do so with an entry fee of RM60.

Participants will be divided into four categories – Elite men between the ages 19 and 39, Elite women 19 and above, Master men 40-50 and Senior Master men 51 and above.

Registration is accepted either via online registration at www.mtbmalaysia.com or by sending the completed downloaded registration forms and proof of payment of registration fee to fax number 603-9222 1786 or via email info@mtbmalaysia.com. Participants and members of the media are also invited to look out for upcoming updates over facebook.com/mtbmalaysia or twitter.com/mtbmalaysia.

Issued on behalf of Human Voyage

For media queries, please contact:
Rizal Hashim 019-351 3331
Alia Soraya Darus 012-232 0333

About Human Voyage

Human Voyage is a leading event management company run by Wira Samudera, Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin, the first ever South East Asian to swim across the English Channel. In the true spirit of its chief executive, Human Voyage endeavours on pushing the boundaries of human discovery – whether in organizing events or meeting the needs of a client.

The inaugural LIMBC was a resounding success with almost 1,000 participants making their way to Langkawi. The Kencana Petroleum-Sepang International Circuit Bikeathon was also successfully rolled out by Human Voyage for the third successive year as the Formula One track was transformed into a battle ground for cyclists.