KUALA TERENGGANU: King of the Hill of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2020 Muhammad Nur Aiman Mohd Zarrif made the final cut as the Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team (TSG) finalised a list of six riders for LTdL 2022, which is scheduled to start this Tuesday.
The cyclists listed by UCI Continental team TSG for the 26th edition of LTdL are Anatolii Budiak, Metkel Eyob, Jambaljamtsz Sainbayar, Youcef Reguigui, Mohd Harrif Saleh and Nur Aiman, who is TSG's youngest rider.
Its chief operating officer Nasiruddin Wan Idrus said TSG made the final change by including Nur Aiman to replace Nur Amirul Fakhruddin Mazuki, who was on the initial list for LTdL, the region’s most prestigious race.
He said the decision was based on the assessment of Nur Aiman's current performance, which was most encouraging when he was in action at the recent Tour of Iran in Azerbaijan.
“Nur Aiman managed to grab second place in the first and fifth stages, thus allowing TSG to return with three podiums, including another through an imported rider from Ukraine, Anatolii Budiak (climber specialist).
“He is TSG’s best backup to once again be crowned King of the Hill at the 26th edition of LTdL after winning it while with the Sapura Cycling Team in 2020,“ he said when contacted today.
According to Nasiruddin, TSG - rated as the best team on the Asian continent - have set a realistic target of a podium win and a yellow jersey, after taking into account the competition from Continental and World-elite teams in the LTdL race.
“We believe that the six riders listed are capable of presenting TSG with victory and bring cheer to the team camp and national cycling fans,“ he said.
This year’s LTdL will have eight stages (totalling 1,096.9 km), with the race starting from Kuala Pilah in Negeri Sembilan (to Kuala Lumpur, 157.3km) and finally ending in Langkawi, Kedah on Oct 18.-Bernama