Philipp and I were so delighted to be in Penang during stage 6 of the Tour de Langkawi and see the finish with many other Malaysian. We were in George Town at the finish line of a race that takes riders around Malaysia and in 10 stages. Besides the race, there are many fun activities for young aspiring bicyclists and athletes. One activity was like bowling, but with water bottles as pins and a coconut as the bowling ball. Young kids under the age of 6, enjoyed a mini race of their own and let’s not forget the sack race relay which was so much fun to watch. There was something for everyone.
The excitement was electrifying. People were lined up at the finish line for hours before the race came to an end. The Tour de Langkawi is named after the archipelago Langkawi, where the first edition started and finished. The race has been held annually since 1996, primarily in February. The 2020 tour is the 25th edition of the prestigious race and covers a distance of 1,114.9 kilometers in seven states and two federal territories – Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Perak, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya. It was an exciting finish where Japan’s Hideto Nakane needed a photo finish to claim his first professional victory.