A view on Negri

Spent last week covering the Tour of Negri Sembilan, which for the first time ever was part of the UCI Asia Tour calendar as a 2.2 grade event.

I'd have to say I reserve my comments on the grandeur of the event, because the Negri Sembilan Cycling Association (NSCA) had persevered to first create and establish races in the past five years and now have moved to upgrade the level of their Tour, and I'd been one of those who've pushed them to do so.

Only a day before the event, NSCA deputy president Yunus Ibrahim informed me that this was the best they could do without sponsors. So, we must respect the association for putting in the effort.

Still, you have to bear with them. Somebody should have a look at cycling in this state. There's a bunch of people who are really trying to raise the level of the sport, but nobody else seems bothered.
Thus, you end up with sights of Mr. Ninja rushing to put the final touches to a haphazardly arranged finish line as you can see below.

I was told that this was done because... Well, as the peloton sped home about 30km from the finish a pair of black vehicles - a Toyota Wish and a Toyota Land Cruiser (number plate KJ10Q) - arrived on the scene and out came Rembau member of Parliament Mr. Khairy Jamaluddin.
Hmmm.. politics aside, those two upright structures that marked the finish weren't even up until half an hour before the finish.

Which was when we saw Uzbekistan's Vadim Shaekov cross the line ahead of Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS)-Plan B rider Ben King to take his first Asia Tour win of the season, one that would last to the finish two days later.
And of course, as with everything else, Negri folk have a funny way of pronouncing everything.. They've taken it a level higher with their indegenous spelling as seen on the Uzbek team car above.

Our national team did okay on that opening day with top 10 finishes by Faris Abdul Razak, Rauf Nor Misbah and Fauzan Ahmad Lutfi.

Here are my buddies Fauzan (left) and Loh Sea Keong cooling off after the hot stage. In the back ground at the front passenger door is Hafiz Rozli.

Two days later, the third and final stage of the Tour of Negri Sembilan was a criterium in Seremban 2, held in a campus area of a private college.


The buildings you see on the right of the picture are student hostels. You'll see later how significant those are...

The race went quiet for a while when Anuar Manan (above) crashed heavily in the approach for the first of three intermediate sprints. It was a horrific sight as the pile-up all seemed to happen on top of him as he laid helpless on the ground. But also remember that little Kancil you see behind Anuar, because it is also significant to this story.

Luckily for the Le Tua team, Anuar's lead-out man Ahmad Haidar Anuawar was smart enough, strong enough and good enough to take the stage win helped by Sayuti Zahit, Amin Saryana and the team's surprisingly strong and promising 19-year old Singaporean Low Ji Wen.

So, the stage was over and I was ready to head back to the hotel to do my work, but I just had to do Le Tua coach Johari Nayan a favour. His Kancil could not fit all the bikes and riders, so I was asked if I could wait for Anuar Manan and give him a lift to the hotel since he had to go and get an injection from the race medics for his open wounds. Okay, I did.

After a quick bite and teh tarik with race director Maniam Manikkam, Yunus and Sabah Ca president Raijas Anang, I proceeded to look for Anuar who was sitting by himself at the roadside. I told him: "Come on, let's go. I've got work to do and its getting late." His reply:"Hang on a little while, I have to wait for treatment." I said:"What fuckin treatment? The medics are gone!".... Anuar:"Waitlah a little while."

I sensed something wrong. What was it? I turned around and my eyes almost shot out of my head. In each floor of the hostel on the opposite side, were a host of college girls waving their hands. Sensing I'd realised, they all started to shout: "Anuar Manan! Anuar Manan!"

Shit! I knew Anuar Manan was quite a famous cyclist, but I never realised the depth of it!

Of course some of the girls ran away from the window when I sat behind Anuar and tried to capture the moment.

Then I said to Anuar:"Okay look, they've all run away. Let's go.." So, we walked to my car and then heard some cries behind us. Anuar told me:"Well, okay. Just wait. They just want autographs." So we did......

Well, that was that. So, we headed back to the Allson Klana Nilai..

Where a very important message was left for all cyclists...... Hehehe...
Oh yes, as I walked to the lobby, met up with my cycling guru, national hero and my all-time favourite superhero Pak Daud Ibrahim, Malaysian cycling's only living legend. "You better be there and take my picture in the veterans race tomorrow!" Pak Daud is always at his best whenever he's around cycling. The next day was the start of the Royal Pilah Challenge, where a veteran race featuring stars of yesteryear like Nor Effandy Rosli, Pak Din or Jamaluddin Omar and Ng Joo Ngan, was to take place. Pak Daud and Pak Din (both riding for Johor veterans) were spotted together numerous times, charting out their 'strategy'... hehehe.. These old men, always up to mischief..
Well, I told Pak Daud: "No problem. We'll take a picture now." So, this is me with the great Daud Ibrahim, his futuristic Zipp bike and all..
Who needs the drug-tainted Tour de France when you're having so much fun, where everybody knows your name, down in Nogori!!