KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) has not ruled out the possibility of continuing to combine national and professional riders in forming a more competitive road squad for international sporting events.
Its president, Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill, said the combination had proven effective in the past two SEA Games editions and would remain the main strategy in Thailand at the end of this year.
However, Amarjit stressed that the current focus was to ensure the national squad’s success in Thailand before any decision was finalised.
“Let us complete the Thailand SEA Games first, but this combination model has been very successful, as shown in the 2021 and 2023 editions. That is why we are continuing it this year, and I believe it will also succeed.
“If so, of course, we want to extend it to the 2027 edition. This combination is important because TSG (Terengganu Cycling Team) riders have exposure abroad, while MPC (Malaysia Pro Cycling) also have specific strengths, including climbers,” he said when met here recently.
He described the combination as having its own advantages, as it could harness the strengths of each team and not rely solely on national riders.
Last Tuesday, MNCF confirmed that TSG and MPC would merge with the national team to represent Malaysia at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand, scheduled to take place from Dec 9 to 20.
The five TSG riders are Mohamad Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff, Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli, Kee Zhe Yie, Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki and Wan Abdul Rahman Hamdan.
Meanwhile, the two MPC riders are Muhammad Syawal Mazlin and Muhammad Zawawi Azman, while Tsen Ren Bao and Amir Kamal are from the national squad.
For the record, the national road cycling squad clinched a gold medal in the men’s road race through Nur Amirul Fakhruddin Mazuki at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, successfully defending the title won by Nur Aiman Mohd Zariff at the 2021 edition in Vietnam.
-- BERNAMA
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