LANGKAWI — Malaysian riders at Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) have come a long way—from merely filling spots in the race to now becoming serious contenders for the prestigious jerseys in Asia’s oldest cycling event.
This marks a positive shift for Malaysia’s road cycling scene, with three national representatives in the LTdL this year: the national squad, Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), and Malaysia Pro Cycling (MPC).
Speaking to Scoop, Malaysian cycling legend Anuar Manan commended the national riders for their courage in competing against more experienced European riders.
He particularly lauded Nur Aiman Rosli from TSG, who claimed the white jersey for Best Asian Rider during today’s first stage in Langkawi.
“During my time, Malaysian riders typically participated in races just to fill the slot for their teams, as the competition was very tough. The riders they faced often had experience in major international events like the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France
“So when I, Adiq Husainie, and Harrif Salleh started stepping onto the podium and winning jerseys, we shifted the mindset. We showed new riders that they could also achieve success and compete with European riders.
“Now, you can see that Malaysian riders are bold enough to attack right from the start, and I believe that is commendable,” said Anuar.
Anuar, who now coaches the Terengganu team, made history as the first Malaysian rider to win a stage at the LTdL in 2010 while racing for the South Korean team, Geumsan Ginseng Asia.
Since then, Malaysia has enjoyed continued success, with riders like Adiq Husainie Othman winning the white jersey for Best Asian Rider in 2016, Harrif Salleh securing three stage victories, and Nur Aiman Zarif wearing the red King of the Mountains jersey for two consecutive years.
Anuar believes the difference between local and European riders comes down to experience, not talent.
“For me, there isn’t much difference between our riders and European riders. What sets them apart is their experience of participating in more races. We, on the other hand, typically compete in only three to five races a year.
“If we want to catch up with them, our riders need to race more often and, if possible, compete in Europe with Pro Continental teams, as their races are usually fast and of high quality.
“So when they return to LTdL, I don’t think it will be a problem for them to win because the intensity of the races there is extremely high,” he added. — September 29, 2024