PETALING JAYA: Malaysian riders Tsen Ren Bao and Kee Zhe Yie are hoping their impressive performances at the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) will open doors to greater opportunities, particularly with foreign teams.
Ren Bao, who currently rides for the Australian-based St. George Continental Cycling Team, finished the race on a high by placing 34th overall in the general classification (GC) and within the top five of the Asian category.
It was a significant improvement from his LTdL debut last year, when he finished 56th overall while representing the Malaysian national team.
His strong showing also made him the best-placed Malaysian rider in this year’s edition, bringing him a step closer to following in the footsteps of his father, legendary road cyclist Tsen Seong Hoong.
Ren Bao, whose contract with St. George ends later this year, hopes to continue with the team next season.
“I’m happy to be the best Malaysian rider, but my real target is to finish on the Asian podium.
“I narrowly missed it this time, but that remains my main goal,” he said.
“I hope to stay with St. George. My target over the next three years is to break into the top 20 overall, win a medal in the Asian classification, and hopefully earn a jersey too.
“Overall, it was a good race. I’m thankful to Brett Dutton (sports director) and the St. George team for the opportunity, and also to the LTdL organisers.
“We wrapped it up on a positive note, although there’s still room for improvement,” he added.
Meanwhile, Zhe Yie will return to his home team, Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), after completing his national duty with the Malaysian squad at this year’s LTdL.
Prior to joining the national team, the 22-year-old had a brief one-month stint in Spain with Caja Rural-Alea, and although the experience was short, he admitted that it was an invaluable learning opportunity riding alongside foreign cyclists.
Zhe Yie acknowledged that TSG are already a top-tier team, currently ranked as Asia’s No. 1 outfit, but said he would not hesitate to take up another overseas opportunity if it arose, as he believed it could be a major boost for his career.
“When we race with foreign teams, we get to learn many new things and compete against riders we’ve never faced before, some of whom are really strong,” said Zhe Yie.
“It was the same when I was in Spain. Even though it was just for a short time, I learned a lot and gained valuable experience.
“I hope I’ll get more opportunities like that in the future, but for now, I’ll return to serve with TSG first,” said Zhe Yie.
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