High hopes on Anuar and Harrif

THE expectations are running high for Anuar Manan and Harrif Saleh as the country's two top sprinters head into their home state where they are gunning to make an impact in the 18th Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) from today.

The duo warmed up for the task by placing themselves ninth and 10th in Stage Six from Mentakab to Kuantan yesterday, finishing sixth and seventh in the bunch sprint for fourth after Thomas Leezer, Jung Ji Min and Michal Golas had taken the top three spots in a breakaway.

Terengganu Cycling Team's Harrif, 24, was relieved to get himself in the top 10 for the first time in this edition, managing to outsprint Anuar of the Synergy-Baku Cycling Project team.

"As soon as we're heading to the East Coast, I know I had to outdo myself and just go for a result. From tomorrow (today) it is flat stages and there won't be any holding back. Whatever happens, I know I will have to produce a result," said Harrif.

"The race has been really tough so far with so many top sprinters present. Today we learnt that Theo Bos (two stage winner of Blanco Pro Cycling) has withdrawn, but it doesn't come as a relief. There are still so many other sprinters like Andrea Guardini, Francesco Chicchi, Allan Davis and Greame Brown in this race, so it won't be easy."

Anuar, 26, moved up to second in the points classification after battling to take points in the first intermediate sprint followed by the final sprint. He now has 43 points, 14 adrift of Guardini with four stages remaining.

"The big mountains are done with and now we have flat stages ahead. I have worked in every stage to keep myself in touch in the points classification. Now we have to focus on undoing Guardini's lead, but also to get a stage win in one of the coming stages," said Anuar.

By Arnaz M. Khairul

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