AIM HIGHER: State cyclists showing off the medals which they won for the state recently during Sukma XV, Pahang in this file photo. The state cyclists are now focusing in improving their road race and time trial events.
KUCHING: The Sarawak Cycling Association (PBS) together with Sarawak Race Bike Association (PLBS) is all set to host the National Cycling Competition (Circuit 3) road race on Sept 22-23 here.
After winning two gold medals at Sukma XV in Kuantan, the state cycling team are confident of a good outing at the competition.
The state team will be taking part in the Men’s senior 180km highway, Women’s Open 110km highway, Women’s junior 110km highway, Individual 33km time trial, Junior 21km time trial and the Sarawak closed events.
According to state cycling coach Dzulkaflee Hassan, the race will provide significant competitive exposure for the team.
The state cyclist will get to test their mantle against participants from Malaysia while Indonesia and Brunei are also expected to send contestants too.
The race is scheduled to flag off at the Matang Polytechnic.
“We did well in the mountain bike event at Sukma XV. Now I want the team to improve on the time trial and road race events,” he added.
In an interview with The Borneo Post yesterday, Dzulkaflee pointed out that he was slightly disappointed in Kuantan whereby the state team did not deliver on the time trial event. He was banking on the event to deliver medals.
Dzulkaflee however attributed the state team’s failure to win a medal in the time trial event due to injuries to star cyclist Rosnina Minggu and lack of exposure by the state team in the event. A post mortem has been made and he will do his best to improve the state cyclist in future events.
Nevertheless he wants the team to improve in their various areas of weaknesses and to move on. There are lots to be done and he wants the state team to pick up from where they have left.
“I am hoping to get the state cyclists more competition exposures. We need to travel to places like Peninsular Malaysia and even to the neighbouring countries if we want to improve the state cyclists,” he informed.
He pointed out that Bandung in Indonesia for example is one place that constantly organises bicycle races.
Many state teams from Malaysia went there to participate in the numerous races.
In another development, Dzulkaflee commented that he is happy to note that two of the state women cyclers have been selected by the national team to compete in road race events. They are Nurazimah Abdul Rashid and Junaidah Juss.
For the record, Junaidah is already with the national team but is competing for the country in the mountain bike event. She is expected to join her national team mates soon.
In preparation for the coming national tournament in Kuching, Dzulkaflee and the state cycling team is now in Sematan for centralised training.