TSG live up to their top Asian billing

KUALA LUMPUR: The Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) proved why they are Asia’s No. 1 club after wrapping up another impressive campaign in the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL), which concluded yesterday.

The team not only held on to the white jersey of Best Asian Rider for the first three stages but also had plenty to cheer about when Nur Aiman Rosli (pic) secured a podium finish by placing second in Stage Seven from Melaka to Medini on Saturday.

Earlier, Aiman wore the white jersey for two consecutive stages – from Kuah and then from Padang Besar to Kepala Batas – before handing it over to Vadim Pronskiy during Stage Three from Gerik to Pasir Puteh.

TSG sporting director Saiful Anuar Aziz said the team’s success was no coincidence, crediting meticulous planning and the riders’ hard work for their strong showing.

He added that Aiman’s performance once again proved that local riders possess the class and quality to compete on par with top international cyclists, especially those from Europe.

“I’m really happy with the result. We didn’t expect something this big, but Aiman showed tremendous spirit. We had planned this from the first stage, and it finally paid off yesterday. Even though he finished second, it’s a huge result for the team.

“It’s a relief to see one of our riders back on the podium after five years since Harrif Saleh’s last win. Back then, Harrif triumphed in a sprint, and this time Aiman did it through a breakaway – it feels like history repeating itself,” said Saiful.

TSG entered the LTdL as one of the local teams aiming for a podium finish, especially after climbing to the top of the UCI Asia Tour rankings with 1,278.67 points.

After the LTdL concluded yesterday, the team had every reason to be proud as they finished seventh overall out of 20 participating teams with a total time of 82’00:57s.

Mathias Brenhoj also secured an impressive finish in the general classification, placing 11th overall with a total time of 27’17:52s.

The achievement also earned them €8,705 (RM43,014) in prize money.

Two other local teams, Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC) and the national squad, finished 18th and 19th respectively.