INTRIGUING BATTLE SET FOR THE OVERALL TITLE IN JELAJAH MALAYSIA 2015

Jelajah Malaysia 2014 Jersey winners

The peloton riding out on the final stage

KUALA LUMPUR, 7 December 2015 : Defending champion Rafaa Chtioui returns to lead his Skydive Dubai team which is set on a collision course with Iran's Pishgaman Giant Team and Indonesia's Pegasus Cycling Team in what is expected to be an intriguing battle for the overall title in Jelajah Malaysia 2015.

Tunisia's Chtioui will want to repeat his resounding success when he became the first African rider to win the Jelajah Malaysia overall title last year, again backed by his energetic and versatile teammate Soufianne Haddi of Morocco in a team that includes Spanish veteran Francisco Mancebo, former Spanish national champion and podium finisher in the Vuelta a Espana in a formidable Skydive Dubai line-up.

But it won't be an easy ride to victory this time with Pishgaman lining up former Asian champion and Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) Asian riders classification winner Hossein Askari, a veteran of many victories on Malaysian soil, who will be backed by a squad that includes fellow-veteran Amir Zargari.

The onus is on Askari this time, as the 40-year old is chasing the UCI Asia Tour overall individual title. He currently sits in third in the rankings with 335 points and is 43 points behind compatriot and former teammate Mirsamad Pourseyedigolakhour of the Tabriz Petrochemical team.

Pishgaman will also want to extend their lead in the UCI Asia Tour teams classification, in which they now hold a 236-point lead over Tabriz.

But the threat posed by the lively Pegasus team should not be discounted, with the Indonesian outfit already proving their worth when they won the overall teams classification in LTdL earlier this year. They will again count on last year's Jelajah Malaysia overall Asian riders classification winner Dani Lesmana to deliver.

The startlist shows a healthy line-up of potential winners and sprinters, including the likes of Australia's Jai Crawford, who now leads the Japanese outfit Kinan Cycling Team.

Hosts Malaysia's challenge will be led by the Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), who will be out to retain the green jersey won by Harrif Salleh last year. The TSG outfit will also line up star sprinter Anuar Manan and former World Junior Track  Championships bronze medallist Adiq Husainie Othman, who will be racing just days after his wedding.

Malaysia will also look to the NSC Cycling Team (NSC), who will be on a strong vein of form with Nik Mohd Azwan Zulkifle coming straight from his overall victory in the Tour de Siak in Indonesia last week.

The Jelajah Malaysia 2015 is scheduled to be held from 9^th to 13^th December and is a UCI sanctioned 2.2 class race, organised by the Malaysian National Cycling Federation and managed by Peloton Resources.

KUALA LUMPUR AND PUTRAJAYA TO BE THE ARENA FOR BATTLE IN JELAJAH MALAYSIA 2015

(L-R) Yg Bhg Datuk Hj Abu Samah Abdul Wahab, MNCF President, Mr Shahirudeen Seeni Mohd, CEO Ciclista Sdn Bhd, Puan Nur Balkish Hood, Head Group Corporate Communications Proton Holdings Bhd., Mr Musairi Musa, CEO Jelajah Malaysia 2015, Ms Sherly Quah Mei Ha, Head of Corporate Communications Berjaya Corporation Berhad and Mr Azli Zainal Abidin, Senior Manager Mandarin Court Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR, 25th November 2015 : The Jelajah Malaysia is back, with the 2015 edition set to feature a five-stage battle covering a total distance of 502.6 kilometres around the vicinity of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

In announcing the route today, event manager Peloton Resources chief executive officer Musairi Musa said the route has been designed to feature diverse challenges on offer in the routes around the twin cities.

"We will have some climbs, some flat roads and we've even added a team time trial on the second stage. It will be held on picturesque settings for stage finishes in Putrajaya and the final stage ends right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur," said Musairi.

Stage One of the race on the Wednesday, 9th of December sees the peloton take off from the Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur building, taking them through Rawang, Kapar, Klang and on to the finish line at km 176.1 at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya.

Stage Two the following day will see an 11.1 km team time trial held in Putrajaya, centred around the Palace of Justice.

Stage Three of the race takes the peloton towards a more Southern route from the start in Bandar Baru Bangi, through Nilai, Labu and Salak Tinggi before the finish at 108.1 km at the Palace of Justice.

Stage Four will take the peloton through its toughest stage from Taman Tasik Permaisuri in Kuala Lumpur through the popular cycling routes of Hulu Langat, Ulu Yam, Broga and on to the finish line at 120.7 km at the Palace of Justice.

The Jelajah Malaysia 2015 will end with an 86km stage that starts from the Proton Centre of Excellence in Shah Alam and the peloton heads into Kuala Lumpur, where they will complete six laps around a 6.6km circuit before the finish line at Dataran Merdeka.

At the route launch today, the main sponsors of the race Proton Holdings Berhad, Berjaya Corporation Berhad, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and Ciclista were also presented to the media, while Mandarin Court, Kuala Lumpur was announced as the official hotel for the race.

The Jelajah Malaysia 2015 is scheduled to be held from 9^th to 13^th December and is a UCI sanctioned 2.2 class race, organised by the Malaysian National Cycling Federation, which was represented at the launch by president Yg Bhg Datuk Hj Abu Samah Abdul Wahab.

JELAJAH MALAYSIA 2015 ROUTE

STAGE 1, 9 December 2015 – Kuala Lumpur – Putrajaya (176.1 km)

STAGE 2, 10 December 2015 – Putrajaya Team Time Trial (11.1 km)

STAGE 3, 11 December 2015 – Bandar Baru Bangi – Putrajaya (108.1 km)

STAGE 4, 12 December 2015 – Kuala Lumpur – Putrajaya (120.7 km)

STAGE 5, 13 December 2015 – Kuala Lumpur – Kuala Lumpur Loop (86.6 km)

TOTAL DISTANCE : 502.6 km

2,000 CYCLISTS THRONG CITY CENTRE FOR 42KM OCBC CYCLE KL 2015

Kuala Lumpur, 8 November 2015 – About 2,000 cyclists from all walks of life converged in the heart of Kuala Lumpur this morning for the challenging 42km OCBC Cycle KL 2015 ride which saw them cycling past some of the capital’s most iconic landmarks. 

The route, featuring five loops round an 8.4km stretch of city roads, flagged off at Dataran Merdeka and took riders through Jalan Raja Laut, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Ampang and Jalan P Ramlee, before getting back onto Jalan Ampang and heading into Jalan Dang Wangi, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Raja and Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin. The route then featured a bend through the National Mosque roundabout before participants headed back to Dataran Merdeka.

OCBC Cycle KL 2015 is title-sponsored by OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad and organised by Multigreen Events. It is part of the ASEAN Cycle Fest, which is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Malaysian National Cycling Federation.

ASEAN Cycle Fest also featured an hour-long criterium for elite riders from ASEAN. 

Speaking at the event, OCBC Al-Amin Bank Berhad Director & CEO Syed Abdull Aziz Syed Kechik, who also participated, said the ride was a fitting carry-through from OCBC KL Car Free Morning, which is also title-sponsored by OCBC Bank.

“The thinking behind OCBC Cycle KL 2015 draws from both OCBC Bank’s experience as title sponsor of the highly popular OCBC Cycle Malaysia over the past four years and also the introduction of the OCBC KL Car Free Morning last year.

“When we began our journey in sponsoring cycling events in Malaysia back in 2011, there was no KL Car Free Morning and mass participation cycling was in its infancy. So, we invested significantly to become part of an initiative to offer rides for everyone regardless of riding experience and age. Now, with the introduction and our title sponsorship of KL Car Free Morning, we are already catering to the needs of the leisure cyclists and children among us. 

“So, it is with this in mind that we put together the 42km OCBC Cycle KL 2015, for the more competitive cyclists among us. We are pleased with the significant turnout today and trust everyone had a fantastic experience,” he said.

In addition to OCBC Cycle KL 2015, the public had an eye-fest when the top sprinters of Southeast Asia congregated to compete at speeds that are rarely seen in the city centre.

Apart from OCBC Cycle KL 2015 title sponsor OCBC Bank, other sponsors of the Asean Cycle Fest included Genting Malaysia Berhad (main sponsor), Le Coq Sportif (official cycling musette), 100Plus, Ciclista, Sunplay, Rocktape, Deep Heating Rub, FOX, Motoshoot Cycling TV, Garmin and Inno Car Rack, Great Eastern, Phiten, Cycling Express, Bertoni Eyewear Italy and Vittoria (neutral service provider).

The event also brought together various players in the region involved in cycling, cycle-related supplies, sports clothing, bicycles, bicycle equipment and tools and so forth who participated in a Bike Mart at Dataran Merdeka Underground. 

RESULTS – Day 3

ASEAN SPRINT KING

11.     2701 – Mohd Hariff Salleh (TSG) – 1:04:32

22.     2377 – Sofian Nabil Omar (MAS) – 1:04:33:247

33.     2374 – Cik KuNazmi b. Cik Gu Ramli (TSG) - 1:04:33:264

OCBC CYCLE KL

ROAD BIKE

11.     1120 – Masanori Nishahama – 1:04:35

22.     1195 – Khairil Fahmi Zainal – 1:08:59

33.     1349 –  Jack Loo Sze Kit - 1:09:07.427

MOUNTAIN BIKE

11.     2395 – 1:04:35

22.     1430 – Mohd Samsol Jailan –1:09:08

33.     2434 – Mohd Danny – 1:09:08

FOLDING BIKE

11.     1990 – Sam Goh - 1:08:02

22.     1087 – Vin Ping Loo - 1:10:45

33.     2010 – Wan Amril Nurman - 1:22:31