Skydive Dubai reign supreme in 50th Jelajah Malaysia

*Rafaa Chtioui wins yellow jersey
*Hong Kong’s Burr Ho wins Blue jersey for best Asian rider
*Shaiful of TSG wins the 100PLUS white jersey as best Malaysian rider
*Hariff Salleh of TSG wins green jersey

SkyDive Dubai Pro Cycling Team were the big winners in the 50th anniversary Jelajah Malaysia with their Tunisian rider c taking the yellow jersey with a total time of 18:45:54 although he finished 10th in the fifth and final stage in Kuala Klawang, Jelebu on Wednesday.

The Dubai team also won the team winners with a total time of 56:18:37 while another foreign team – Pegasus Continental Cycling Team from Indonesia were second (56:19:34 while Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) came in third (56:19:39).

It was also a day when Terengganu Cycling Team’s (TSG) Salleh brothers clinched another 1-2 finish with the younger Mohd Hariff, 26, taking the chequered flag in the 150km loop around Kuala Klawang, Jelebu – ahead of his elder brother Mohd Zamri , 30.

It was the third 1-2 finish for the Terengganu team – having won stage 2 and 3 with Zamri coming out tops both times.

Today, it was a “special day” for Hariff who won the final stage in 3:39:41 – which saw another blanket finish with the top 10 riders credited with same time.

Hariff also won the green jersey for sprints with 59 points after coming in third in the first sprint at Kuala Pilah which gave three points which was enough to retain the title. His sibling Zamri came in second with 54 points while Rafaa (42 points) was third.

There was more to come for TSG when Muhd Shaiful Anwar Azis took the 100PLUS white jersey as the best Malaysian rider with a time of 18:46:19. Teammate Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman (18:46:35) came in second while Muaz Abdul Rahim of Malaysian Armed Forces came in third with the same time.

Hong Kong national rider Burr Ho was the best Asian rider, winning the blue jersey in 18:46:13 while the King of Mountain was Pegasus Continental Cycling Team’s Lesmana Danbi. The Indonesian was a runaway winner with 22 points with Skydive Dubai’s Adil Jelloul a distant second with 10 points.

A jubilant Rafaa who never surrendered the yellow jersey after winning State 1, telephoned his team’s general manager Mansour Buasiba in Dubai to inform him of his success.

“This success is the launching pad for the team for next year’s Tour of Langkawi. It was tough despite winning the first stage and the yellow jersey. But the teamwork saw us maintain our stranglehold.

“Winning the yellow jersey is every rider’s dream and I am glad I helped the team win the overall team title as well. With my teammate Adil coming in second it is sweet success for Skydive Dubai,” said Rafaa, adding that he is more pleased with his achievements in Jelajah Malaysia.

It is all the more satisfying for Rafaa, a former Team Doha rider. The Jelajah Malaysia also gave him his first UCI Asia tour stage win.

Shaiful, after winning his first ever jersey in Jelajah Malaysia has now set his sights on winning the blue jersey as the best Asian rider. “I want to go for the best Asian rider,” said Shaiful.

Burr Ho, the winner of blue jersey as the best Asian rider, said: I am happy to have kept the jersey as it is my first UCI Asian tour jersey. It means a lot to me,” said the Hong Kong national rider.

RESULTS (Stage 5 150km loop around Kuala Klawang)

Individual Overall Classification
1. Hariff Salleh (TSG, Mas) 3:39:41
2. Mohd Zamri Salleh (TSG,Mas) 3:39:41
3. Soufiene Haddi (Skydivae Dubai) 3:39:41
4. Muhamade Adiq Husainie Othman (TSG, Mas) 3:39:41
5. Che Ku Mohamad Syamil Romli ((TRG, Mas) 3:39:41
6. Ko Siu Wai (Hkg) 3:39:41
7. Muhammad Fauzan Ahmad Lutfi (Police, Mas) 3:39:41
8. Sharp Patrick (St George Merida, Aus) 3:39:41
9. Suhardi Hassan (MSN, Mas) 3:39:41
10. Rafaa Chtioui (Skydive Dubai) 3:39:41

Leading Malaysian Rider (White Jersey)
1. Muhd Shaiful Anwar Azis (TSG, Mas) 18:46:19
2. Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman (TSG, Mas) 18:46:35
3. Muaz Abdul Rahim (Armed Forces, Mas) 18:46:35

Leading Asian Rider (Blue Jersey)
1. Burr Ho (Hkg) 18:46:13
2. Muhd Shaiful Anwar Azis (TSG, Mas) 18:46:19
3. Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman (TSG, Mas) 18:46:35

Mountain Climbing (Red Jersey)
1. Lesmana Dani (Pegasus, Ina) 22 points
2. Adil Jelloul (Skydive Dubai) 10 points
3. Muhammad Adiq Husainie Othman (TSG, Mas) 8 points

Sprints (Green Jersey)
1. Hariff Salleh (TSG, Mas)) 59 points
2. Mohd Zamri Salleh (TSG, Mas) 54 points
3. Rafaa Chtioui (Skydive Dubai) 42

General Classification (Yellow Jersey)
1. Rafaa Chtioui (Skydive Dubai) 18:45:54
2. Adil Jelloul (Skydive Dubai) 18:46:03
3. Morton Angus (St George Merida. Aus) 18:46:05
4. Burr Ho (Hkg) 18:46:13
5. Francisco Mancebo (Skydive Dubai) 18:46:19
6. Muhd Shaiful Anwar Azis (TSG, Mas) 18:46:19
7. Soufiene Haddi (Skydive Dubai) 18:46:25
8. Muhamad Adiq Husainie Othman (TSG, Mas)18:46:35
9. Muaz Abdul Rahim (MAF, Mas) 18:46:35
10. Mohd Nur Umradi Rosdi (TSG, Mas) 18:46:38

General Team Classification for Malaysia
1. Terengganu Cycling Team 56:19:39
2. Royal Malaysian Police 56:28:07
3. Malaysian Armed Forces 56:29:02
4. Majlis Sukan Negara 56:29:52
5. Malaysia 56:36:27

General Team Classification for Asia
1. Pegasus Continental Cycling Team (Indonesia) 56:19:34
2. Terengganu Cycling Team 56:19:34
3. Royal Malaysian Police 56:28:07
4. Hong Kong 56:28:45
5. Malaysian Armed Forces 56:29:02

General Team Classification
1. Sydive Dubai Pro Cycling Team 56:18:37
2. Pegasus Continental Cycling Team 56:19:34
3. Terengganu Cycling Team 56:19:39
4. Royal Malaysian Police 56:28:07
5. St George Merida Cycling Team, Australia 56:28:42

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