RIDERS READY FOR BORNEO SPECTACLE

Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG)

Organising Chairman Dato' Fredie Sua welcoming the teams, officials & media to Tour of Borneo 2015.

Data #3 Symantec Racing Team

LABUAN, 31 October 2015 : The stage is set for another exciting edition of the Tour of Borneo with some of the most formidable teams in the region ready to battle it out for honours over the scenic and highly challenging terrain of Sabah.

The tour kicks off with a 27.2 kilometre time trial in Labuan with much at stake for teams hoping to do well. The five-stage Tour of Borneo will see riders covering a total distance of 646.4km through Labuan, Menumbok, Kuala Penyu, Tuaran, Kudat and Kundasang.

Pegasus Continental Cycling Team of Indonesia, which won the overall team at Le Tour de Langkawi earlier this year are one of the teams expected to contend. Team coach Giacomo Notari of Italy is optimistic of a strong outing in Sabah.

"The target for every team is to win the tour, and it is no different for us," said Notari.

"We have some good time trial specialists and also climbers in the team and I believe we can do well in the first stage and last stage from Kudat to Kundasang.

"What is important is that we watch out for any breakaways in all the other stages and I believe we will have a chance."

Singapore Sea Games time trial gold medalist Robin Manullang is part of the Pegasus squad in Sabah while Dadi Suryadi is also strong in the event. Notari expects Odie Purnama Setiawan to excel in the mountaineous region of Kundasang.

Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), Team 7-Eleven Roadbike Phillipines, Data #3 Symantec Racing Team p/b Scody (Aus), Rietumu-Delfin Continental Cycling Team (Latvia) and CCN Cycling Team (Laos) are the other continental teams expected to do well in the Tour of Borneo. Teams from eight countries are competing this year.

TSG's Mohd Harrif Saleh said he is expecting the competition to be stiff.

"I came here straight from the Tour of Hainan where Rietmu-Delfin were also competing," said Mohd Harrif.

"From what I saw there (in Hainan) they are a very strong team and will be dangerous if they can perform to the same level here."

Organising Chairman Dato’ Fredie Sua said he was happy to be able to bring together another edition of the Tour of Borneo. The event was not held last year.

"I am very grateful to be able to stage this tour again. It is a great opportunity for us to show what we can actually show to the world how our country, and Sabah is," said Fredie at the team presentation dinner yesterday.

"Despite all the challenges faced, we have managed to organise another edition of the race thanks to the strong determination and teamwork we showed."

Tour of Borneo is organized by Borneo International Cycling, held from 31^st October to 4^th November 2015. The 2.2 category Tour is sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (UCI) and is listed in UCI Asian Tour calendar, it is hoped to promote Sabah as the ultimate sports tourism destination in Malaysia, and promote cycling in the state.