This year’s cycling event will see 22 teams compete in a multiple-stage race.

The annual Tour de Langkawi cycling event in Malaysia will now begin on April 6, officials have told local media.

The 24th edition of the race was scheduled to begin on March 24 but it was pushed back to avoid coinciding with Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition – also scheduled to be held at the end of March.

“The main reason [for the postponement] is because we do not want both these international events in Langkawi to clash,” Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman has been quoted as saying by the Malay Mail.

“We want to ensure international interest in Langkawi can be divided into two phases,” he said.

Le Tour de Langkawi 2019 is a major sporting event that has been held annually in Malaysia since 1996. It is organised by the Malaysian National Cycling Federation and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The course of the multistage bicycle race will cover several routes, including the traditional and toughest path of the Genting Highlands climb.

Event organiser, Human Voyage Chief Executive Officer Datuk Ahmad Mustafa, was quoted as telling reporters: “Genting Highlands has always been an iconic route. We decided to include the Genting route after taking into account feedback from the teams.”

According to Mustafa, there will be 22 teams competing in the upcoming Tour de Langkawi.