MELAKA – Team Sapura Cycling (TSC) rider Mohamad Saari Amri Abd Rasim topped the men’s elite 180.6km mass start event in the 2021 National Road Cycling Championships (NRCC) here today.
In a bunch finish, the 22-year-old defeated nearest challengers, Mohd Elmi Jumari of PDRM and Irwandie Lakasek from Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), who also clocked the same time of 4:31:01s.
Mohamad Saari Amri, who participated in the men’s junior category last year, said he did not expect to win in his debut in the event.
“I really didn’t expect to win the race today because I was thinking of helping my teammates to retain the National Jersey that we won last year.
“Thank God, and thanks to my team for helping me to win this time. Although the route was quite challenging, it was not a problem for me when accelerating and climbing hilly stretches,” the rider, who hails from Mersing, Johor, told reporters afterwards.
The meet concludes tomorrow with the men’s junior 129km and women’s junior 77.4km mass starts. – Bernama, December 30, 2021