The Philippines returns to the Le Tour de Langkawi after more than two decades of absence with six of the country’s grizzled road cyclists seeing action in the eight-stage Hors category event that starts Sunday in Langkawi Island in Malaysia.

Ronald Oranza, Marcelo Felipe, Jan Paul Morales, Junrey Navarra, Joshua Pascual and Jude Gabriel Francisco make up the Philippine National Road Team coached by Ronald Gorantes, Virgilio Espiritu and Mark John Lexer Galedo with Ric Rodriguez as team manager and Roderick Calla as mechanic.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, also the head of the PhilCycling, stressed on the significance of the Tour de Langkawi as one of the most prestigious and difficult multi-stage International Cycling Union (UCI) races in Asia.

The national road team is fully supported by the Philippine Sports Commission chaired by Richard “Dickie” Bachmann and commissioner-in-charge for cycling Walter Torres with the support of UCI continental teams Standard Insurance, 7-Eleven Road Bike Philippines and Victoria Sports Pro Cycling Team to which all six riders are members.

The Philippines debuted in the Tour de Langkawi in its third edition in 1998 with the team of Victor Espiritu, Arnel Quirimit, Carlo Jazul, Enrique Domingo, Warren Davadilla and Gerardo Amar emerging as the best-placed among five Asian teams and 10th overall in the 21-team race.

But it was in 2003 when the Philippines raced as a national team last with Victor Espiritu, Quirimit and Domingo again donning the country’s colors alongside Lloyd Reynante and Merculio Ramos.

The Pagcor Casino Trade Team raced in Langkawi from 2004 to 2006 and in recent years, the country was represented by the 7-Eleven Roadbike Philippines continental team in the “by invitation only” event.

Three UCI World Teams, seven Pro Teams and Nine Continental Teams and only three national teams — Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand — make up this year’s race that ends on 6 October in Bintulu.