Cyclists set out on specialized routes<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Cycling Association (ISSI), likening the
\ncompetition in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to a "war",
\nrecently scouted out the course for November's competition.<\/p>\n
Training routes have been altered in accordance with the
\nproposed course in Manila, with the knowledge expected to boost
\nthe cyclists' confidence in the battle for medals.<\/p>\n
"SEA Games is like a war," SEA Games cycling team head coach
\nWahyudi Hidayat said recently. "We must know the situation where
\nwe will go to war. If we have no information, we will be left one
\nstep behind others."<\/p>\n
Wahyudi said ISSI secretary-general Sofian Ruzian found the
\nwomen's road race would cover a distance of 100.9 kilometers
\ninstead of 70 kms.<\/p>\n
"From about 40 kms before the finish line, the route is
\nsimilar to the Subang-Kawah route (in West Java)," he said.<\/p>\n
In the women's 30 km and men's 40 km Individual Time Trial
\n(ITT), the route was almost the same as the Cianjur-Gegbrong or
\nPurwakarta-Wanayasa routes, he added.<\/p>\n
In the men's 178 km road race, the first 138 km was similar to
\nconditions along Subang-Pemanukan-Sumedang-Subang, and the last
\n40 km would be relatively similar to the Subang-Kawah route, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"We are changing our practice route starting next week based
\non this observation," said Wahyudi, whose is nursing a broken
\nright hand after he collided with a motorcycle in training last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
Twenty-eight cyclists are in training for the Games, with a
\ntarget of five golds, one more than was collected in Vietnam in
\n2003.<\/p>\n
Major names like veteran men's cyclist Tonton Suprapto, 2003
\nSEA Games women's silver medalist Uyun Muzizah and Olympian and
\n2003 SEA Games gold medalist Santia Tri Kusuma are on the squad.<\/p>\n
However, the quest for medals may be especially tough this
\nyear, with the host squad preparing well for the competition and
\neying eight golds in 12 divisions. Other top contenders will be
\nMalaysia and Thailand.<\/p>\n
Tonton, who is reported to have tested positive for ephedrine
\nat June's Qing Hai Lake Tour, continues to practice with the team
\nbecause there has been no ruling from the international cycling
\nbody.<\/p>\n
"So it is better to let Tonton practice just in case he is
\nstill allowed to compete in the SEA Games," Wahyudi said of the
\n32 year old, who was stripped of gold at the 1997 SEA Games after
\ntesting positive for a banned stimulant.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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