VORARLBERG-CORRATEC REVEALS WELL BALANCED LINE-UP FOR LTDL 2010
17/02/2010

Kuala Lumpur - APPEARING for the second time in a row, Professional Continental team from Austria, Vorarlberg-Corratec lists out a balanced combination of experience and talent to face the challenges head-on in the 15th edition of Le Tour de Langkawi 2010 (LTDL), scheduled from 1st to 7th March.

Under the wing of team manager Thomas Kofler, Vorarlberg definitely wants to improve from their less encouraging performance last year, ranked 14th overall in the team classification, while Vorarlberg’s best rider, Silvere Ackermann only made 19th in the overall individual classification.

This time, multi-talented Sebastian Siedler, who had previously raced for professional teams such as Wiesenhof, Milram and Skil Shimano, is the team's best bet in pursuit for the yellow jersey. Collecting various victories throughout his career since 2004, Siedler had won the Ruud um die Nurberger Altstadt, ranked third in 6th Stage of the Deutschland Tour, placed second in Stage 1 of Paris-Nice, won one stage in Tour de Picardie, won Stage 6 of Post Danmark Rundt and two stage victories in the Presidential Tour of Turkey 2009 where he ranked third overall.

Although considered to be at the end of his career, this former rider of the German Team-Pursuit which won the gold medal in the 2000 World Championships in Manchester is still energetic and has been placed suitably in the line-up for this LTDL 2010.

Leading the sprint category is 33 years old experienced rider René Haselbacher, who had first appeared in LTDL 2001 with team Gerolsteiner. Although ranked 75th overall and was among the top 10 finishers at 3 stages in LTDL last year, this former Astana rider (2007-2008) and 2002 Austria Road Race Champion has proven his capability and will be among the frontrunners aiming for stage wins.

One more experienced rider is René Weissinger from Germany, at 32 years of age; he is considered experts in European classics races but with rich experience in Asia. Weissinger only ranked 86th in LTDL 2009, he was a former rider for Skil-Shimano and Volksbank, was sixth position twice in the 2007 Deutschland Tour, winning two stages in the Tour of Qinghai Lake 2006.

Two Austrian born riders, Josef Bennetseder, 27 years old, and Christoph Sokoll, 24 years old, is expected to assist Siedler to pursue the best placing in the overall classification. Bennetseder had warmed up in the GP deli Etruschi in Italy, where he placed 16th before heading to LTDL while Sokoll, was included in the squad after good performance, which includes placing 44th in Tour of Luxembourg and the World Championship in Mendriso, Switzerland last year. Another young Austrian rider who is expected to assist the team is Philipp Ludesher, 23, who ranked 84th overall in LTDL last year.

VORARLBERG-CORRATEC LINE-UP
TEAM MANAGER: Thomas Kofler
RIDERS:
Siedler Sebastian (Germany), René Haselbacher (Austria), Josef Bennetseder (Austria), Christoph Sokoll (Austria), René Weissinger (Germany), Philipp Ludesher (Austria)

The 15th edition of the UCI (Hors Category) stage race will take place from Kota Bharu - Kuala Berang (174.5km); Kuala Terengganu - Chukai (182.3km); Pekan - Mersing (145.6km); Mersin-Parit Sulong (163.5km); Muar - Port Dickson (111.5km) Putrajaya - Genting Highlands (102.8km) and Kuala Kubu Baru - Dataran Merdeka (133.7km), covering a total distance of 1013.9km.

A total of 120 riders from 20 teams including two local teams are expected to take part in the event, Le Tour de Langkawi 2010.

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