PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will only focus on the individual sprint and keirin events at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next month.
There will be no representation in the team sprint and 1km time trial although the two events have previously earned podium success for Malaysia.
But with Mohd Ridwan Sahrom still recovering from a shoulder injury at the Track World Cup in Hong Kong in April and the slide in form of Mohd Fadhil Zonis, cycling technical director John Beasley made the tough decision to leave them out of the Commonwealth Games from July 23-Aug 2 after discussing with coach Harnizam Basri.
Fadhil, Mohd Akmal Nazimi Jusena and Adib Andhar Adnan rode in the men's team sprint event when Malaysia hosted the Track World Cup final leg in Nilai in April.
With Fadhil not going to the Commonwealth Games, Malaysia will not be represented in the men's 1km time trial event.
Azizulhasni Awang and Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom will be the riders carrying the medal hopes in the individual sprint and keirin for men in Glasgow.
Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri and Nur Alyssa Mohd Farid will be making their Commonwealth Games debut in the individual sprint and keirin.
Thailand SEA Games gold medallist Lau New Joe is the only endurance rider and will compete in the points and elimination races.
"The Commonwealth Games is a world class competition with Australia, England and New Zealand in the mix, so there is no way our cyclists can win a medal in the team sprint given our current strength," said Beasley.
"Besides the travelling time is also not in our favour. We want Azizul and Shah at their absolute best and well rested for the individual events.
"We do not want Ridwan to rush through the recovery process, so it's better for him to focus on getting back his full strength and be able to ride in the Asian Games for the team sprint, which realistically offers us a better chance to get on the podium.''
Azizul skipped the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham four years ago as he had to undergo corrective heart surgery but Shah Firdaus did well to claim a bronze medal in the keirin won by Trinidad and Tobago's Nicholas Paul.
