Aiman hopes to see gold at end of the road in his third SEA Games

PETALING JAYA: Road cyclist Nur Aiman Rosli (pic) is hoping to achieve a breakthrough victory at the Thailand SEA Games in December after enjoying his best ever outing at the National Championships in Pagoh, Johor.

The Muar-born cyclist achieved the rare double-gold feat, winning both the men’s individual time trial for a sixth time as well as bagging his first victory in the road race.

“Winning in my hometown and on the roads I grew up riding definitely meant a lot to me.

“I had come close to winning the road race a number of times previously and finally I did it,” said Aiman, who finished third in last year’s edition.

The 26-year-old has gone from strength to strength since joining Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) at the end of the 2023 season.

He finished fourth in the Asian Championships road race in Almaty, Kazakhstan, last year and has been placed in the top 10 in the individual time trial at the Asian meet for the last two years.

Aiman now hopes to ride to a gold in his third SEA Games attempt.

“I’m targeting it either in the time trial or road race. I’ve won bronze in the time trial event in Hanoi in 2021.

“Thailand’s defending champion Peerapol Chawchiangkwang will again be one of the favourites in time trial at home while Indonesia’s Aiman Cahyadi will be right up there too.

“I was the second fastest South-East Asian rider behind Peerapol at this year’s Asian meet in Thailand in February, so I’ve a good picture of what needs to be done.

“I’ve been told that the time trial route is relatively flat, which should give me a chance to fight for the gold,” said Aiman.

Peerapol won the individual time trial gold when the discipline was last included at the 2021 SEA Games while Cahyadi won it during the 2019 Manila edition.

Malaysia have won the road race gold at the last two editions through Nur Aiman Zariff in Hanoi and Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki in Phnom Penh in 2023, who are also Aiman’s teammates at TSG.

Their next assignment is the Tour of Gyeongnam this week.