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SHINICHI SHINES UNDER EXTREME HEAT TO TAKE STAGE ONE
8 May 2012
 KAMPAR
(8 May 2012) ¨C Veteran Shinichi Fukushima of the Terengganu Cycling
Team (TSG) shone under the sweltering heat to take Stage One of
the Jelajah Malaysia 2012 to at once prove that age is but just
a number.
The
40-year-old native of Nagano, who counts the Tour of Japan title
he won in 2004 as one of his most coveted crown, was inspired on
the day when he stuck close to the early breakaway before finishing
the race with a blistering time of 3:50:38.
¡°I
suffered very much in the climb (KOM 1 at Ulu Yam),¡± said Shinichi,
who also picked up the leader¡¯s yellow jersey at the end of the
race today. ¡°But at the last kilometre, I saw the opportunity when
the others dropped down, so I just went for it.
¡°It
is quite a long stage today but there are still five more days to
go so it is important to just concentrate on keeping the yellow
from day to day and not to think too far in front.¡±
Following
the flag off by Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Prime
Minister Dato¡¯ Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak this morning at the Merdeka
Stadium, the cautious start in the beginning soon gave away to some
early breakaways as several teams tried to stamp their dominance
on the peloton.
The
winding climb round Ulu Yam made up the first KOM with Mohamad Saufi
Mat Senan from TSG picking up the first six points of the campaign
this year to be followed by Michael Tockler (Pure Black racing team)
and Indonesian veteran Tonton Susanto (Putra Perjuangan).
¡°My
target in this Jelajah is the KOM and for sure, I will try to maintain
this red jersey for the next several days,¡± said Muhammad Saufi.
With
the first sprint at Ulu Yam Baru taken up by Malaysian Development
team¡¯s Muhammad Adiq Husainie Othman, twelve riders formed the
breakaway group as they stretched to a more than five minute lead
over the peloton approaching the second sprint at Tanjung Malim
(marked 71.8km).
Gap
by the breakaway group was pushed to more than six minutes in front
with a new pack of six chasers forming just three minutes ahead
of the peloton. Among those in the front group are Aisan¡¯s Yasuharu
Nakajima, Mohamad Saufi and Shinichi, Anuar Manan of Malaysian Development
and Torckler.
The
chasers are Mohd Zamri Saleh (TSG), Ivan Chernyavskiy (Kazakhstan),
Vadim Shaekhov (Uzbekistan), George Luis Oconer (LBC Cycling), Dani
Lesmana and Bambang Suryadi (Poloygon Sweet Nice).
After
the second sprint which was also won by Muhammad Adiq Husainie,
the pace setters at the front did not show any sign of slowing down
as they opened up a gap of more than eight minutes going into the
final run into Kampar.
¡°I¡¯m
just using this Jelajah as a preparation for the Tour of Japan.
It is more training than anything although I will still go for the
KOM, the sprints and also the jerseys should there be an opportunity,¡±
added Muhammad Adiq, who came in second behind Kazuhiro Mori (Aisan
Racing team) in the third sprint at Bidor.
¡°I
did not expect to take the green jersey today for sure but still
it is only the first day of the Jelajah, so there will be plenty
of action yet.¡±
At
the end of just the first day of the Jelajah Malaysia 2012, 20 riders
had already dropped off from the 117 starters in the morning to
show that the race will be a lot keener this time round than in
previous editions.
FULL
RESULTS CAN BE OBTAINED AT www.jelajahmalaysia.com.my
PODIUM RESULTS ¨C Stage One
Stage winner ¨C Shinichi Fukushima (Terengganu Cycling Team)
Yellow Jersey - Shinichi Fukushima (Terengganu Cycling Team)
Green jersey - Muhammad Adiq Husainie Othman (Malaysia Development)
Red jersey - Mohamad Saufi Mat Senan (Terengganu Cycling Team)
White jersey (Best Malaysian) - Muhammad Adiq Husainie Othman (Malaysia
Development)
Blue jersey (Best Asian) - Shinichi Fukushima (Terengganu Cycling
Team)
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