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Pusingan pertama Piala Dunia Klasik Hoy menanti Azizul di Manchester


KUALA LUMPUR - Juara dunia sudah pun berjaya ditewaskannya, kini tiba saat terbaik untuk Azizulhasni Awang menjinakkan pula juara Olimpik, Chris Hoy apabila pusingan pertama basikal trek Piala Dunia Klasik bermula di Manchester, esok.

Sejak tewas kepada pelumba hebat dari Britain itu pada suku akhir acara 200m pecut Sukan Olimpik Beijing tahun lalu, ini kali pertama Azizulhasni berpeluang bertarung lagi dengan idolanya itu.

Walaupun bertanding atas tiket sebuah kelab berbasikal profesional Australia, Bike Technologies dan bukannya Malaysia, Azizulhasni tetap menyimpan cita-cita untuk membalas dendam ke atas Hoy.

"Impian saya memang untuk tewaskan dia tetapi kami amat jarang dapat berlumba bersama sejak Sukan Olimpik Beijing lalu.

"Saya harap dapat berlumba dengannya pada perlumbaan Piala Dunia Klasik di Manchester hujung bulan ini untuk menilai jurang keupayaan antara kami," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia, baru-baru ini.

Dengan jurang pengalaman dan perbezaan umur amat ketara antara kedua-dua pelumba, ia jelas bukan halangan buat Azizulhasni untuk menggegar kali ini.

"Chris Hoy adalah pelumba yang sangat berpengalaman. Sejak Sukan Komanwel di Kuala Lumpur lagi, beliau sudah beraksi di mana ketika itu saya masih lagi budak hingusan dan belum berkecimpung dalam arena basikal ini.

"Jarak pengalaman kami amat jauh sekali. Beliau juga salah seorang pelumba yang mempunyai nilai psikologi yang tinggi," tegasnya lagi.

Malaysia menghantar tujuh pelumba pada pusingan pertama di Manchester yang bakal berlangsung dari 30 Oktober hingga 1 November ini.

Selain Azizulhasni yang mewakili kelab, cabaran skuad trek negara akan dipikul Ederus Yunus, Hafiz Sufian, Harrif Salleh, Adiq Husainie Othman, Amir Mustafa Rosli dan pelumba tunggal wanita, Fatehah Mustapha.

Azizulhasni akan menyertai acara kegemarannya, pecut dan keirin bersama Hafiz manakala untuk acara pecut berpasukan menggandingkan Ederus, Hafiz dan Harrif. Satu lagi acara, 1km ujian masa kemungkinan bakal diisi Hafiz.

Adiq dan Amir pula lebih menumpukan kepada acara endurance seperti madison, scratch dan perlumbaan mata.

Sementara Fatehah akan menyertai tiga acara iaitu keirin, pecut dan 500m ujian masa individu wanita.

Britain selaku tuan rumah selain menyenaraikan Hoy, turut meletakkan harapan kepada nama-nama besar lain seperti Jason Kenny (pemenang pingat perak Olimpik pecut), Ross Edgar, Jamie Staff (keirin), Victoria Pendleton (juara pecut Olimpik wanita).

Bagi Hoy, ini aksi pertamanya sejak berehat panjang selepas terjatuh pada pusingan terakhir Piala Dunia Klasik di Copenhagen, Denmark tahun lalu.

Satu lagi negara kuasa besar basikal trek dunia, Australia pula menyenaraikan gabungan pelumba berpengalaman dan muda mereka.

Antara nama-nama besar adalah seperti Shane Perkin, Anna Meares, Daniel Ellis dan Jason Niblett.

Perancis pula menyenaraikan juara dunia 200m pecut, Gregory Bauge di samping Kevin Sireau.



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