LTdL: TSG determined on keeping winning momentum

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 – The number one cycling team in Asia, Terengganu Inc TSG Cycling Team (TSG), are set on continuing their winning momentum at the 25th edition of Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) from Feb 7-14 under the wings of captain Mohd Zamri Salleh.

Powered by the 2018 yellow jersey (overall individual) winner, Artem Ovechkin of Russia, alongside the sprint acumen of Mohd Hariff Salleh, the East Coast team will be out for more victories to maintain their status as the top team in UCI’s Asian Tour calendar.

TSG head coach, Jeremy Hunt is expected to field a strong line-up against a handful of World Tour teams with Algerian sprinter Yousef Reguigui, Morey Drew (Australia) and Metkel Eyob (Eritrea) to be in fray, with national champion Nur Amirul Fakhruddin Mazuki, the likely domestiques (helper) for Ovechkin.

TSG chief executive officer, Nasirudin Wan Idrus said the team is currently undergoing training in Melbourne, Australia until Feb 3 and would participate in several races down under for fine-tuning before flying straight to Kota Kinabalu.

“We are naturally very glad that we managed to take the mantle as the best team in Asia in 2019. The target for this year would be to retain that title and of course aim for more stage victories internationally.

“The successes that we have carved out so far are the results of the strong backing that we have received from the Terengganu state government, and sponsors that have been with us all these years,” he said in a statement from LTdL.

TSG picked up a total of 2,658 points to take the top spot in Asia and the 28th in the world.

The 8-stage Silver Jubilee edition is slated to cover a total distance of about 1,096 km across nine states including Sarawak, Terengganu, Pahang, Federal Territories (Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur) Selangor, Perak, Penang and Kedah.

-- BERNAMA