UCI plans major shake-up of Olympic track programme

By: Richard Moore
Published: September 26, 17:00,
Updated: September 26, 17:37

Individual pursuit, points race, madison may vanish from Olympics

The UCI is planning a major shake-up of the Olympic track cycling programme and will propose radical changes to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The changes are designed to bring parity to the men's and women's programmes, with five events for each at the 2012 Games in London.

Cyclingnews understands that the individual pursuit, points race and madison would all be removed from the Olympic programme under the UCI's proposals. Instead, the programme would comprise men's and women's individual sprints, a team sprint, a keirin, a team pursuit and an omnium. Racers may compete in the following events as part of the omnium: flying 200m, points race, scratch race and individual pursuit and possibly others to be determined.

"I can confirm that I was mandated yesterday by the UCI to work out how we are going to achieve parity within track cycling for the 2012 Olympics, and it's a matter we're looking at with some urgency," said McQuaid. "The IOC wants to make an announcement about the programme for London by December 12."

Dave Brailsford, the British Cycling performance director, said, "It's always a real shame to lose some events. The madison and individual pursuit are such classics, but I think it's exciting and innovative, and it brings parity from a gender perspective. We will have to change our strategy for 2012 but we are already looking at what we are doing. I like [the proposals]."

Bradley Wiggins, the Olympic pursuit gold medallist in Athens and Beijing, said, "It seems strange to scrap so many events. I'm disappointed because it's my event that is involved, but then, I don't know how exciting a pursuit is to watch - off the top of my head, I don't think I'd be interested in the omnium. I'd probably do the team pursuit, and maybe the individual time trial."

Sir Chris Hoy welcomed the proposed changes. He won all three sprint events at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, after his specialist event, the kilometre, was dropped from the Olympic programme in 2005.

Kepada Semua Umat Islam

Assalamualaikum,

Bersempena dengan kedatangan Syawal yang akan tiba, saya Fairoz Izni Bin Abd Ghani dengan rasa rendah diri memohon ampun dan maaf jika ada keterlanjuran kata-kata yang menyinggung hati dan perasaan selama ini. Semoga kemaafan yang di pohon akan mengeratkan lagi hubungan kita semua selamanya.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2009

Maaf Zahir & Batin

dari: Kami Sekeluarga.

Gelombang R. Ismail

Thanks Ayahanda Saidin MD. Saman

Surat Akuan M.Fauzan Lufti

KENYATAAN AKHBAR MUHAMMAD FAUZAN AHMAD LUTFI
8 SEPTEMBER 2009


Berhubung dengan kes penyalahgunaan dadah perangsang yang membabitkan diri saya, saya ingin memohon maaf di atas kesilapan yang telah saya lakukan dan saya akui ia adalah satu tindakan yang tidak sepatutnya berlaku.

Di sini saya ingin menjelaskan bahawa saya telah mengalami kecederaan pada otot lutut kiri sejak bulan Oktober tahun lalu. Ini telah menyebabkan saya tidak dapat berkayuh selama 5 bulan dan dirawat oleh pakar di Institut Sukan Negara.

Saya telah kembali berkayuh pada bulan April tahun ini, bermula dengan perlumbaan Jelajah Malaysia di mana semasa itu saya masih di bawah program elit lebuhraya. Di masa itu juga saya telah memohon untuk memasuki kembali program elit trek di bawah ketua jurulatih John Beasley.

Keadaan lutut saya yang masih belum pulih daripada kecederaan sepenuhnya serta penyerapan saya di dalam skuad elit yang akan dihantar menjalani latihan lebih keras di Australia telah membuat saya dalam keadaan serba salah.

Saya telah mengambil keputusan untuk mencari kaedah perubatan selain dari yang telah diterima di bawah jagaan pihak ISN. Tanpa saya sedari, ubat yang telah saya ambil itu menyebabkan saya diuji positif untuk dadah jenis nandrolone semasa kejohanan Mini Olimpik tempohari.

Perkara ini amat saya kesali. Saya juga ingin menyatakan bahawa sebelum ini saya tidak pernah menggunakan apa-apa jenis dadah perangsang yang terlarang. Ini adalah pengalaman pertama saya dan ia adalah satu pengajaran yang pedih yang saya anggap kesilapan paling besar pernah saya lakukan dalam hidup saya.

Sekali lagi, saya akui di atas kesilapan dan ketidakmatangan ketika melakukan kesalahan ini dan memohon ribuan maaf kepada semua pegawai sukan khususnya berbasikal, rakan-rakan pelumba dan peminat sukan lumba basikal.

Saya juga menerima dengan hati yang reda apa saja hukuman yang akan dikenakan, disamping ingin meminta jasa baik untuk meringankan hukuman ke atas diri saya.

Saya masih muda dan ingin kembali ke arena berbasikal sebaik selesai tempoh penggantungan kerana inilah sukan yang saya cintai.

Sekian, terima kasih.

5 steps to cycling glory

You've got to push yourself hard- Brad McGee

Brad McGee is one of the leading bright lights in cycling.

The Australian lined up for the 2004 Tour de France having enjoyed his best career result in the Giro d'Italia in May.

He finished in 8th place overall at the end of the gruelling three-week stage race - one of the three Grand Tours.

He won the opening day prologue time trial at last year's Tour to take the leader's yellow jersey and is aiming to grab a top-ten spot in Paris this time around.

Unfortunately Bradley had to pull out of the 2004 Tour during stage 5 with back and hip problems caused by a crash.

Here he gives his five tips to bring the best out of you in the saddle.

1. Consistency: This does not mean you have to cycle every day but at least five days in a week is the way forward on the bike.

You then have to learn to pedal consistently - we're not born to pedal.

2. Enjoyment: If you don't enjoy getting on the bike, what's the point? If the enjoyment level isn't there, when it comes to the tougher times you'll have little inclination to push yourself that much further.

3. Toughness: Cycling is one of the hardest things in the world - even if we do try to make it look easy sometimes!

Bradley McGee in time trial action at the Tour de France

You have to push your body pretty far and, for that, you need mental as well as physical toughness.

The Tour de France is as harsh as it gets and some days you think: "Not today thanks."

But having the toughness to overcome that is the key.

4. Support: Without the support of my family and friends I never would have won a stage of the Tour de France last year.

I'd almost say that's the most important of these five.

People have made sacrifices to get me where I am today and for that I will always be grateful.

5. Dreaming: It's always handy to be a bit of a dreamer.

From a young age I always dreamed of winning a stage on the Tour de France and, if you continue dreaming about these things long enough, they may eventually come true.

These five tips have worked for me. Now you try and put them into practice and be the next big star.


"And, believe it or not, it's been on the go for over 100 years!
The beginning of track racing was as far back as the 1880's.

Apa ada dengan Sekolah Sukan di Malaysia

coming soon....

SportCheck: Ramli's fond memories

Ramli Hashim polishes his racing bicycle. Pic: AIZUDDIN SAAD.



2009/09/09

Vinashal Pillai

UNABLE to stand up without struggling due to diabetes, former national cyclist Ramli Hashim still manages a smile when asked about his exploits with the national team.

Like many greats before him, Ramli began his cycling career from humble beginnings when residing at Clementi, Singapore.

Ramli's interest in the sport started at age 12 but he got seriously involved when he got his first bike at the age of 19 in 1965.

Fitted with 24-inch road tyres, it was purchased on credit from his friend.

"I had been asking my father for a bicycle for a long time but he always found an excuse not to get one," said Ramli.

His love for cycling grew and he would cycle along Ayer Raja Road and Pasir Panjang Expressway in Singapore everyday. Then in 1965 Ramli got his first taste of near-success when he finished second in a sports carnival in a senior category.

"I was supposed to race in the novice category but I drafted myself into the seniors instead. I just wanted to see how good I was racing with the bigger boys," added Ramli, now 63 and living with his wife in Selayang, Selangor.

Ramli joined the Malaysian Police in 1968 when his family relocated to Malaysia and went on to compete in several big events including the Singapore Sea Games and Tokyo Asean Cycling Championship in 1973, the Bangkok Seap Games in 1975 and the New Zealand Commonwealth Games in 1979.

But his proudest achievement was his three-silver haul in the 1,600m time trial, 800m massed start and 4,800m massed start at the Seap Games in Singapore.

Although he did not win gold, Ramli's feat came as a surprise as he had only three months of competitive experience.

"Twice a month for every month I would cycle from Kuala Lumpur to Malacca as part of my personal training regime," he said.

"In those days we had centralised training under the tutelage of Alwi Ahmad where Fraser's Hill was our training ground but individual training was also encouraged."

Ramli would also cycle the Cheras-Kajang-Sungei Besi route to improve his endurance level.


Initially, he would take two hours to complete the route but gradually slashed it to just under 59 minutes.

His last big event was the 1983 Manila Sea Games after which he retired from the sport.

"The difference in parents' attitude towards their children's involvement in sports today has changed dramatically from my days.

"Our young athletes today are blessed with parents who support and encourage them." added Ramli when asked about the role parents play.

The father of two retired from the police force in 2001 but his health deteriorated when he was diagnosed with diabetes which has plagued him for the past seven years. Ramli is also on medication for his weak heart due to a heart attack suffered early last year.

With a monthly pension of RM1,000, Ramli's plight was answered when the National Athletes Charity Foundation (Yakeb) stepped in to help.

Yakeb's 1Ringgit 1Malaysia campaign was launched to assist former athletes like Ramli with their medical needs.

Yakeb is offering two coverage plans -- for former athletes below the age of 69 and for those above 70.

Donations and sponsorship should be channeled to Yayasan Kebajikan Atlet Kebangsaan -- Tabung Yakeb, Maybank Account No: 564847005696 or SMS YAKEB1 to donate RM1, YAKEB2 for RM2, YAKEB5 for RM5 and YAKEB10 for RM10 and send to 33898. Each SMS costs 50 sen.

For enquiries, contact 03-89964841/4844 or visit www.yakeb.org.my.

n Watch BersamaMu-Wira Sukan, Anda Tetap Di Hati on TV3 at 9.30pm tonight.