Tonton withdraws from Tour d'Indonesia

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.