The Italian cycling team Bardiani CSF-7 Saber is aiming to revive its success at the 30th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL), taking place from September 27 to October 4 in Malaysia. The squad is the sole Italian team competing this year and hopes to build on its recent seventh and tenth-place overall finishes in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Bardiani CSF-7 Saber will rely heavily on the experience of Luca Covili, who brings a formidable resume including six Grand Tour events and seven Classic races. The team also features 28-year-old Manuel Tarozzi, the winner of Stage 6 at the 2024 LTdL in Kulai. However, the squad faces uncertainty regarding young prospect Marco Manenti, who suffered a fractured finger in a crash during the PostNord Tour of Denmark in July and remains doubtful for participation.
Le Tour de Langkawi’s chief operating officer, Emir Abdul Jalal, expressed confidence in Bardiani’s competitive standing. He noted that the team’s quality matches that of other prominent Italian squads and highlighted their enduring connection to the event. Bardiani CSF-7 Saber first appeared at LTdL in 1999 under the former name Navigare-Gaerne and has been known for its dominance in sprint stages, particularly with the legendary “orange train” lead-outs that featured riders like Graeme Brown and Brett Lancaster.
This year’s race introduces a new mountain challenge at Gunung Jerai during Stage 2, complementing the established difficult climbs of Cameron Highlands on Stage 4 and Genting Highlands on Stage 5. These stages are expected to be decisive in shaping the overall classification.
The event will commence in Shah Alam and conclude in Putrajaya, marking a week of intense competition that showcases varied terrain and international cycling talent. Bardiani CSF-7 Saber’s participation underscores Italy’s continued presence in the race, with ambitions to return to the top of the podium more than five years after Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia’s overall team victory in 2018.