Hariff eyes SEA Games gold, LTdL podium finish
SEPANG: Terengganu Pro Asia Cycling Team ( TSG) rider Mohd Hariff Salleh is confident that the intensive training in Melbourne, Australia can help him defend two SEA Games gold medals and win a podium finish in the Le Tour de Langkawi ( LTdL) this year.
The 28-year- old sprinter who will be attending a 45-day training camp with 11 of his teammates in Melbourne, believes preparations for SEA Games this year was better compared to previous editions.
In Melbourne, they will be competing in several local championships apar t from training to strengthen their performance under TSG chief coach Jeremy Hunt.
“I intend to defend the two gold medals, more so when Malaysia will be the host and event coupled with better preparations. There are many races to improve riding technics and performance in Australia.
“For LTdL, I will do my best to get on the podium after getting a boost from the training camp. The route this time is rather undulating which maybe an advantage,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 here before departing to Australia.
Hariff who won the criterium and road race gold medals in the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, said compatibility with other TSG riders would be an advantage if he was given the chance to represent the country at the biennial games from Aug 19 to 31.
Meanwhile, TSG chief operating officer Nasiruddin Wan Idrus said TSG which has been given the greenlight to prepare national cyclists for the SEA Games road race, would be holding several series of training camps.
“Up on c ompl et i n g t he Melbourne training stint on Feb 14, six cyclists will be selected to participate in LTdL from Feb 22 to March 1 while the remaining riders will be competing in Le Tour de Filipinas from Feb 18 to 21 with focus on LTdL to collect as many world ranking points.
“The training in Australia is very important for cyclists to adapt themselves to the route as well as on the various aspects to improve speed, mountain climbing, and riding technics so as to compete with cyclists from other continents, especially Europe,” he told Bernama.
He said for LTdL this year, TSG was targeting to defend its white jersey ( Best Asian rider) which was won by Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman last year, apart from ensuring two cyclists in the top 30 ranking as well as a podium finish.
According to Nasiruddin, the list of six cyclists representing the country in the SEA Games would be decided by the end of March before the next phase of training in Cameron Highlands and Chiang Rai, Thailand. — Bernama