KUALA LUMPUR, 9 September 2022 - Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team (TSG) wants to live up to its status as the best team in the Asian continent when it lines up against the powerhouses in the 26th edition of PETRONAS Le Tour de Langkawi 2022 which will kick-off from 11-18 October.
Currently ranked as the 32nd best team in the world after collecting 1174.75 points and rated as the best team from Asia, TSG however does not want that lofty position to put unnecessary pressure on its riders.
TSG's Chief Operating Officer, Nasiruddin Wan Idrus said, the six riders who will be selected a few days before the tour begins, are aware of their respective responsibilities and roles to raise the team's challenge.
"We want to be realistic where we are aiming for only one podium win, whether it's a stage win or overall, but the riders know what are expected of them because they have enough experience riding and competing at this level.
"What is certain is that TSG has made its own plans to put the riders in the best physical and mental condition to compete in the peloton which contains many elite riders from teams with
World Team and Pro Continental Team status," he said when contacted by the LTdL 2022 Media Office.
Nasiruddin said, the team will list its six best riders after the Iran Tour and Tour de Taiwan which starts in early October, while the riders who did not participate in the two races will have a training centre in Gerik, Perak.
It is likely TSG will put in two of their sensational climbers, Anatolii Budiak from Ukraine and Jambaljamts Sainbayar (Mongolia) who recorded encouraging results at the Tour of Sakarya race in Turkiye at the end of last month.
Other than having the duo battle for the overall best individual and team positions, Sainbayar is also expected to strengthen the team's challenge in the Asian team competition, alongside the two local riders who will be identified at a later date.
Will local sprint specialist Harrif Saleh be selected as part of the peloton this year?
Everything will be determined a few days before LTdL 2022 starts in Kuala Pilah on 11 October 2022.
Nasiruddin said TSG expects intense competition from the six elite World Team teams namely UAE Team Emirates, Cofidis, Lotto-Soudal, EF Education-EasyPost, Movistar and Astana-Kazaqstan, in addition to the four Pro Continental teams namely Drone Harper- Androni Giacattoli, Uno X-Pro Cycling, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Burgos-BH.
Stage 1 of Le Tour de Langkawi 2022 will begin in Kuala Pilah to Kuala Lumpur for a distance of 157.3km; Stage 2 Kuala Klawang-Raub (178.9km); Stage 3 Putrajaya-Genting Highlands (123.7km); Stage 4 Sabak Bernam-Meru Raya (137.9km); Stage 5 Kuala Kangsar-Kulim (172.0km); Stage 6 Georgetown-Alor Setar (120.4km); Stage 7 Kuah-Gunung Raya (90.8km) and Stage 8 Loop Langkawi (115.9km), involving a total distance of 1,096.9km.