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Jelajah Malaysia: McCann unsure of a hat-trick

FROM the startlist of the Jelajah Malaysia that begins today in Kuala Selangor without the glitter of the past three editions, it should be easy for David McCann's Giant Asia Racing Team, Ng Yong Li's LeTua Cycling Team and Takumi Beppu's Aisan Racing Team to decide how the results sheet will look like when the race ends in Kuala Perlis on Saturday.
The Le Tua Cycling members look all geared for action in the Jelajah Malaysia. — Picture by Mohd Yusni Ariffin
The Le Tua Cycling members look all geared for action in the Jelajah Malaysia. — Picture by Mohd Yusni Ariffin
That easy assessment, though, could be affected by the presence of South African club team Medscheme, who are led by two powerful contenders in Johann Rabie and Malcolm Lange. The rest of the 19-team field is dotted with some potential surprises.

It would be interesting to see how the promising Adiq Husainie Othman features in the national team that have track stars Hafiz Sufian and Rizal Tisin making their first appearances for the national road team.

Irishman McCann is on a roll, going for his third straight overall victory after the Tour of the Philippines and the Malacca Governor's Cup last weekend. But the 37-year-old isn't too convinced that the overwhelmingly flat five-stage course will promise him the hat-trick.

"After each win, the next one becomes more difficult because everyone knows who to look out for and it will be me. Plus, I don't see any big hills that would suit me in this race, maybe some small ones, but that won't help much," said McCann.

"It could be up to the teams with sprinters to win the overall from time bonuses, unless we have a good breakaway at some stage. Also, with some pretty long stages, above 200 kilometres, that may help with having breakaway wins because after 190 kilometres, each small climb will feel like a big hill, so that may make a difference.

"I would see the Asian team, LeTua as the potential threat. The Navy team, too, were pretty strong in the Malacca Governor's Cup. In our team, we've got the sprinters, so I won't necessarily have to go for the win. I'll work for whoever is in a good position to take the win."

Today's stage covers 192.4km from Kuala Selangor to Teluk Batik, while tomorrow sees a 205.2km stage from Lumut to Taiping.

Long stages, says Yong Li, will be where total concentration comes into play.

"We are not the favourites yet. Our new sprinter Sam Witmitz (of Australia) is in decent form, as he finished second in both stages in Malacca, so he will be our main hope for bunch sprints," said LeTua team leader Yong Li.

"If it comes to bunch sprints, our team know we have to work for Sam. But we will have to look out for the breakaways too. They are bound to happen and with long stages everyday, it will be hard for teams to maintain full focus. This can be the deciding factor."

Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ibrahim officiated the team presentation ceremony in Kuala Selangor yesterday and will flag off the opening stage today. NST

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