ANN/THE STAR – The 111th edition of the Tour de France showcased an exhilarating series of stages, culminating in a grand finale on July 21 in Nice.
Recognised as one of the most viewed sporting events globally and often regarded as the most gruelling, the three-week 2024 Tour de France featured 176 of the world’s top cyclists competing across 21 stages, covering a total distance of 3,498 kilometres (km) and tackling some of Europe’s most challenging mountain terrains.
The remarkable performances of Tour de France champions such as Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard are sure to motivate numerous road cyclists to enhance their training and strive to emulate these contemporary cycling legends.
Although only a select few can transport themselves and their equipment to the Alps and Pyrenees to conquer the same lofty peaks, let us explore several routes in the Klang Valley that offer equally enjoyable and demanding training opportunities.
Additionally, it is always a pleasure to appreciate the natural beauty that our local Malaysian routes provide.
These are by no means the only routes that regularly entice local riders, but they are among the most popular ones, tackling challenging hills and mountains where road cyclists can get a taste of the brutal efforts suffered by the most elite Tour de France riders.
The exhilaration of bombing down these slopes can be second only to the personal satisfaction of conquering them.
GENTING SEMPAH
The route starts from Jalan Gombak, near the Gombak Orang Asli Hospital (HOAG), to Genting Sempah R&R (30 km).
This part of Jalan Gombak, an old route to Genting Highlands, is a short but popular 14km route that steadily climbs through the cool shades of the forests hugging the road.
It’s doable for beginners with some fitness base and still poses a good challenge for road and mountain bike cyclists.
This route straddles Selangor and Pahang, connecting to the Genting Sempah R&R, and continues towards Bukit Tinggi and Janda Baik for a longer distance.
If you feel powerful that day, consider heading to Bentong for lunch. Just watch out for the odd pothole or two.
The ride back to the HOAG is about 100km in total mileage.
In addition to cyclists, marathoners and ultra-runners train here, so keep an eye out and share the road.
HULU LANGAT
The ride starts from Pekan Batu 14, Hulu Langat and takes you to Bukit Hantu and Kampung Kongkol, Negeri Sembilan. It covers 76.5km.
This route is a famous series of rides that starts at Batu 14 or Batu 18 towns in Hulu Langat, depending on how far you would like to drive the car to the starting point.
From Batu 14, Bukit Hantu almost immediately greets riders with steep climbs before quickly descending to the scenic Semenyih Dam lakeside for a few selfies.
Alternatively, riding from Batu 18 town takes riders on a gentle roll through the countryside before climbing Genting Peras, which lies on the border between Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. From there, it’s a 13km ride downhill to Kampung Kongkol and back again the same way to Batu 14 or Batu 18 if you start from there.
SETIA ECOHILL MALL TO LENGGENG
The Setia EcoHill Mall to Jalan Kuala Klawang – Seremban via Lenggeng town is a 52km ride.
From the Setia EcoHill neighbourhood mall, head south on Jalan Semenyih until a left turn to the newly paved roads of Persiaran Tasik Senangin 1, leading to Lenggeng town.
A hair-raising climb awaits after leaving Lenggeng town through the Lenggeng Forest Reserve before a fast descent to the junction of Jalan Jelebu.
After a breather, turn around and attack the Lenggeng Forest Reserve route again to return to the start. But for more hills, proceed south on Jalan Jelebu towards the popular and scenic Temiang-Pantai Highway for more effort.
KUALA KUBU BARU TO FRASER’S HILL
Another challenging route is the 82km Kuala Kubu Baru to Fraser’s Hill Clock Tower and back.
The town, which just saw a by-election in May this year, is the base for many holidaymakers going up Fraser’s Hill.
The scenic route passes the Sungai Selangor Dam lookout point on the ascent to the Simpang Gap Bukit Fraser on the Selangor-Pahang border.
The weather will be cooling, but expect a challenging few turns of the cranks after Simpang Gap, where the steepness ramps up before reaching the famous Fraser’s Hill Clock Tower.
For a shorter loop, consider starting from the entrance of the Sungai Chiling hiking trail, which faces an unpaved car park with hawkers plying snacks and drinks to end the ride. – Lester Kong
