DESPITE missing many major races in the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Team Sapura Cycling (TSC) remain optimistic of its chances of winning the yellow jersey when the Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi 2022 starts on October 11 in Kuala Pilah.
TSC IS pinning its hopes on 32-year-old former overall winner Danilo Celano who will be backed by five young riders in a bid to retain the title he won in 2020.
Last year’s edition was scrapped due to the pandemic.
Team manager Sayuti Zahit said that despite going through hard times due to non-participation in international races in the last two years, TSC weathered through with riders currently being put on a regular training regimen including pedaling up to 25 hours every week.
While praising team sponsors Sapura Group, CCN, N8 and Rudy Project for keeping their faith in the team despite not competing in many international races, Zahit remains upbeat of the team’s chances, saying that his riders have what it takes to deliver positive results on home terrain this year.
“Our coaches have been working hard to ensure that the riders are physically and mentally ready to face the rigorous challenge in this year’s LTdL, especially with the presence of six WorldTour teams and four Pro Continental teams,” Zahit said.
“It’s still too early to delve into our strategies … we prefer to take it one stage at a time,” Zahit said.
Good teamwork led to Celano’s success in the 2020 race with experience riders like Serghei Tvetcov, Pierpaolo Ficara, Cristian Raileanu and Ahmet Orken and local hero Muhammad Nur Aiman Zariff providing solid support to the Italian.
This time around, TSC is banking on five young local pros to back Celano for the overall title, including two Malaysian national champions, Muhammad Nur Aiman Rosli (individual time trial) and Muhsin Al Redha Misbah (road).
Akmal Hakim Zakaria, Muhammad Zawawi Azman and Muhammad Shaiful Adlan Shukri complete the six-man roster for the 2022 race.
As part of its final preparations, Zahit said the riders will be put on a pre-race ride on the actual race route which includes Stage 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 starting on September 20 before flying to compete in Tour de Taiwan from October 2 to 6.