23 December 2010, KUALA LUMPUR - AISAN Racing Team is the continental team that has carved a name among the local fans especially sprint specialist Taiji Nishitani, who will once again lead the challenge from the Japanese team in Le Tour de Langkawi 2011, from 23 January to 1 February.
Aisan opened eyes when they won a stage and ranked 12th overall and fifth in the Asian teams category in their first appearance in LTdL 2010.
With eight of the 10 stages in 2011 route involving flat courses, Nishitani is expected to continue to add into his collection of victories in LTdL, after winning Stage 4 from Mersing to Parit Sulong in the previous edition.
The 29 year old rider began making a name among local fans when he won Stage 6 in the 2009 edition of Jelajah Malaysia in Bera, and he is expected to get help from his teammate; Masashiro Shinagawa in the bunch sprint to the finish line.
Shinagawa, also a part of the team’s line-up in 2010, is considered the most experienced rider in the team because of his racing experience in Australia and Europe.
Previously riding for Skil Shimano, Shinagawa, 28, also raced in the classic Paris-Roubaix, a well respected rider in his native country; he emerged twice as the national champion in 2006 and 2009, as well as Japan's under-23 national champion.
Another rider to look out for is Kazuhiro Mori who raced under Aisan’s colors since 2006, also respected for his dominant ability in track events. Together with Nishitani they competed in the 4km team pursuit for Japan in the recent 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou. Mori had also been listed as the individual time trialist for Japan in the Asian Games and finished seventh overall.
Kenichi Suzuki and Takeaki Ayabe will be given the climber’s task to conquer two consecutive gruesome climbs up Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands for Aisan in the 2011 edition, both had competed in the previous edition and are surely familiar with the conditions in Malaysia.
Takeaki who previously represented Team Miyata-Subaru before being recruited to Aisan had extensive experience in Asian races. Another rider in the list racing in LTdL 2011 is Shimpei Fukuda.
The most interesting in the Aisan Team line-up for LTdL 2011 is their former rider Takumi Beppu has been assigned as team manager. Beppu who ranked 27th overall in LTdL last year had extensive racing experience with professional teams such as Jura Suisse and Mapei, also familiar with the intricacies of the route in Malaysia, Aisan is a strong force to be reckon with in this edition.
“With their former rider Beppu managing the team, I am certain that Aisan will give a competitive edge to the race. They gave quite a performance in 2010, I am excited to see what they have in store for next year.” said the CEO of Le Tour de Langkawi, Mohamed Salleh. “We are delighted to have them back in Malaysia.”
AISAN RACING TEAM LINE-UP:
TEAM MANAGER: Takumi Beppu
RIDERS: Taiji NISHITANI, Takeaki AYABE, Shimpei FUKUDA, Kazuhiro MORI, Masashiro SHINAGAWA, Kenichi SUZUKI
Le Tour de Langkawi 2011 is organized by the Youth and Sports Ministry of Malaysia together with the Malaysian National Cycling Federation. The 2011 Tour is scheduled to be held from 23rd January to 1st February covers a total distance of 1315.4 kms with 10 stages, starting in Langkawi Island and ending at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.
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BM - AISAN RACING TEAM KEMBALI MENGUKIR NAMA DI LTdL 2011
23 Disember 2010, KUALA LUMPUR: AISAN Racing Team adalah antara pasukan profesional benua yang semakin mengukir nama di kalangan peminat tempatan terutama pelumba pakar pecut Taiji Nishitani yang akan sekali lagi mengetuai cabaran pasukan dari Jepun itu pada Le Tour de Langkawi 2011, bermula 23 Januari depan.
Aisan membuka mata ramai apabila memenangi satu peringkat dan menduduki tangga ke-12 keseluruhan, serta kelima di kalangan pasukan Asia pada penampilan pertamanya di LTd 2010.
Dengan lapan daripada 10 peringkat dalam laluan LTdL 2011 kali ini membabitkan laluan landai, Nishitani dijangka akan terus cuba menambah koleksi kemenangan di LTdL, selepas menjuarai Peringkat 4 dari Mersing ke Parit Sulong pada edisi lalu.
Pelumba 29 tahun itu mula mencipta nama di kalangan peminat tempatan apabila memenangi Peringkat 6 Jelajah Malaysia 2009 di Bera dan dia dijangka akan mendapat bantuan daripada rakan sepasukan, Masashiro Shinagawa untuk menghiasi adegan pecut beramai-ramai ke garisan penamat pada LTdL kali ini.
Shinagawa yang turut mengambil bahagian dalam edisi lalu, dianggap pelumba paling berpengalaman dalam pasukan Aisan kerana pengalaman luas berlumba di Australia dan Eropah sebelum ini.
Pernah menyertai pasukan Skil Shimano, Shinagawa, 29, juga pernah berlumba dalam perlumbaan klasik Paris-Roubaix, selain menjadi pelumba dihormati di negara kelahirannya kerana pernah muncul sebagai juara kebangsaan dua kali pada 2006 dan 2009, selain menjadi juara kebangsaan Bawah 23 Jepun.
Seorang lagi pelumba Aisan yang wajar diberi perhatian adalah Kazuhiro Mori yang sudah berada bersama-sama Aisan sejak 2006, dan turut dihormati kerana kemampuannya menguasai acara trek dan bersama-sama Nishitani dalam skuad 4km kejar-mengejar Jepun di Sukan Asia Guangzhou 2010.
Mori turut disenaraikan sebagai pelumba ujian masa individu lebuh raya oleh Jepun pada Sukan Asia lalu dan menduduki tempat ketujuh keseluruhan.
Tugas mendaki bagi pasukan Aisan dijangka dipikul Kenichi Suzuki dan Takeaki Ayabe yang turut bersaing pada LTdL lalu.
Takeaki yang pernah mewakili pasukan Miyata-Subaru sebelum dilamar Aisan dan berpengalaman luas dalam perlumbaan di serata Asia, dijangka membantu dengan Kenichi dalam dua pendakian sukar berturut-turut ke Cameron Highlands dan Genting Highlands pada edisi 2011 ini.
Seorang lagi pelumba pasukan senarai enam pelumba Aisan pada LTdL 2011 ialah Shimpei Fukuda.
Paling menarik, Aisan menyenaraikan bekas pelumbanya yang menduduki tangga ke-27 keseluruhan tahun lalu, Takumi Beppu sebagai pengurus pasukan dan dengan pengalaman luas bersama pasukan profesional Jura Suisse dan Mapei serta arif dengan selok-belok laluan di Malaysia, Aisan adalah pasukan yang perlu diberi perhatian pada edisi kali ini.
"Dengan bekas pelumba mereka Beppu menguruskan pasukan, saya yakin bahawa Aisan akan memberikan saingan kompetitif untuk perlumbaan kali ini. Mereka memberi persembahan yang cukup hebat pada 2010, saya bersemangat untuk melihat apa yang mereka miliki untuk tahun depan." kata CEO Le Tour de Langkawi, Mohamed Salleh. "Kami gembira mereka kembali bersaing di Malaysia."
SENARAI PASUKAN AISAN RACING TEAM:
PENGURUS PASUKAN: Takumi Beppu
PELUMBA: Taiji NISHITANI, Takeaki AYABE, Shimpei FUKUDA, Kazuhiro MORI, Masashiro SHINAGAWA, Kenichi SUZUKI
Le Tour de Langkawi 2011 dianjurkan Kementerian Belia dan Sukan dan Persekutuan Kebangsaan Berbasikal Malaysia (MNCF). Jelajah yang bermula pada 23 Januari hingga 1 Februari ini membabitkan perlumbaan 10 peringkat dengan jarak keseluruhan 1,315.4 kilometer, bermula di Pulau Langkawi dan berakhir di Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.
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