By SHAMSHUL FITRI
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian road cyclists will set up a month-long training camp in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from tomorrow to gear up for their hunt for gold medals in the Indonesia SEA Games in November.
The camp in Chiang Mai, which will end on Aug 28, marks the full swing of preparations lined up by coach Graham Seers before the team take part in several races in Australia in September.
The riders heading for the training camp are Mohd Shahrul Mat Amin, Mohd Saufi Mat Senan (Terengganu Pro-Asia); Mohd Adiq Husainie Othman, Amir Mustafa Rusli (Drapac); Ng Yong Li (Le Tua); and Mohd Rauf Nur Misbah and Akmal Amrun (national team).
Meanwhile, the women riders bound for Chiangmai are newly-crowned national champion Kimbeley Yap, Mariana Mohamad, Masziyaton Mohd Radzi, Mardiana Mohd Radzi and Ju Pha Somnet.
Shahrul, who won the national meet in Raub last month, said the terrain in Chiang Mai is quite similar to the one that will be used for the SEA Games in Indonesia.
“From the list of the preliminary riders who got selected, it looks like all of them have very good climbing ability,” said Shahrul.
“From what we have learned from our reconnaissance trip to Indonesia earlier this month, there will be a great deal of climbs in store.”
The squad scouted several sections of Bandung, where the road race is expected to be held.
Malaysia last won the gold medal in road cycling through Suhardi Hassan and Noor Azian Alias in the 2005 edition in Manila.
In addition to the road race, the Indonesia Games will also feature the individual and time trials.
“There is no better way than to go to the mountains if you want to win a tough race. I know that the training camp starts the same day as the fasting month ... but that won’t stop me from giving my best in training,” said Shahrul.
“We met with the Indonesian national team who were camped in the high areas in Bandung and that is a clear indication that they too are preparing for a hilly ride.”
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