Tonton withdraws from Tour d'Indonesia

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Indonesia's hopes in the upcoming Tour d'Indonesia cycling race were dealt a blow when Tonton Susanto announced his withdrawal due to injury here on Wednesday.

"I still feel the effects of my broken right shoulder. If I force myself to take part in the race, I'm afraid I would disappoint the team," Tonton said during a media conference at Le Meridian Hotel.

Tonton broke his shoulder during July's Tour de Sulawesi, one of the qualifying races for the Tour d'Indonesia, which forced the 30-year-old rider to withdraw from that race.

Despite the injury, Tonton competed in the recent National Games in Palembang and won a gold medal for West Java in the individual time trial.

However, he said he would likely be unable to withstand the challenge of the 10-day, 1,503-kilometer Tour d'Indonesia from Jakarta to Bali.

"It's a long race and the routes are hazardous, and I can't prepare properly.

"After between three and four hours of training, I feel pain in my shoulder. I had it checked and the doctor advised me to rest it for a month," Tonton said.

Tonton's place on the team will be taken by Kohar, a silver medalist in the criterium at the National Games.

The other members of the team are Suwandra, Ferinanto, Rochmat Nugraha and Ryan Ariehan.

Tonton has been Indonesia's ace in international events. He was the champion of the Asian category in the international Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia in 2002.

His withdrawal has forced the team to reassess its chances in the Tour d'Indonesia.

"We hope we can make it into the top three in the final standings," Sofyan Ruzian, secretary-general of the Indonesian Cycling Association (ISSI), said.

The Tour d'Indonesia, with a total of US$100,000 in cash prizes, will run from Sept. 27 to Oct. 6, covering nine stages from Jakarta to Bali.

Seventeen teams with a total of 85 riders are expected to compete in the event. Seven of the teams will come from six foreign countries: Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Malaysia with two teams, the Netherlands, the Philippines and Thailand.

It will be the first Tour d'Indonesia in more than a decade, the last time the event was held being in 1993.

Jamaludin Mahmood, a representative of world cycling governing body the UCI, called on tour organizers to ensure a quality event that could be built on in coming years.