In the fray: The local riders who will shoulder the challenge for the Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team for 2022 are (from left) Mohd Zamri Saleh, Mohd Harrif Saleh, Shahrul Mat Amin, Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki, Afiq Huznie Othman, Irwandie Lakasek, Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff and Wan Abdul Rahman Hamdan.
PETALING JAYA: There are early new year cheers for one of Asia’s biggest cycling road teams, thanks to new sponsorship and rebranding.
The Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team will look to the new season with much optimism after receiving sponsorship contributions to the tune of RM9.3mil.
Formerly known as the Terengganu Cycling Team, the team based in Kuala Terengganu and set up in 2011 have also signed two new imports in 24-year-old Jamal Hibatullah from Indonesia and 26-year-old Ukrainian Anatolii Budiak. Both are climb specialists.
The team’s chief executive officer Che Ku Mohd Izmuddin Che Ku Mahmood said the team have lofty aims this season.
“We want to become the No. 1 team in the UCI Asia Tour rankings again and also finish among the top three continental teams in the UCI World Tour this year.
“Our optimism is based on our level of preparation this year and the support of sponsors.
“The total amount of sponsorship we received in cash, kind and services is the biggest since the team were established in 2011.
“The rebranding of the team came after international bicycle brand Polygon, that has been based in Indonesia, became TSG’s main sponsor.
“TSG have also established strategic partnerships with Turkish Airlines, Tourism Terengganu, Royal Malaysian Navy and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT),” he said.
The riders retained from last season are Metkel Eyob (Eritrea), Youcef Reguigui (Algeria), Jeroen Meijers (Holland) Jambaljamts Sainbayar (Mongolia) and Goh Choon Huat (Singapore).
The eight local riders who will also support the foreigners are Mohd Zamri Saleh, Mohd Harrif Saleh, Shahrul Mat Amin, Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki, Afiq Huznie Othman, Irwandie Lakasek, Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff and Wan Abdul Rahman Hamdan.
It will be a busy calendar for the team as they will open accounts with the Tour of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates end of this month before the Tour of Rwanda the following month.
The team will then venture into Europe to take part in several races.
TSG, coached by Jeremy Hunt, emerged as UCI Asia Tour winners last year with 856 points from 17 competitions.
