Pakistan's top cyclist Ali set to defend his title at Asian Road Cycling Championships

Pakistan's top cyclist, Ali Ilyas, has set his sights on a top-eight finish in the elite category and defending his titles in the master category at the 44th Asian Road Cycling Championships, scheduled to take place in Phitsanulok, Thailand from February 7-16.

Ali, who had won golds in the individual time trial and road scratch event last June in the Asian Championship in Almaty, is optimistic about defending his titles.

“In the elite category I am targeting top eight. InshaAllah, I will also defend titles in the Masters category,” Ali told Nukta in a detailed interaction.

Ali last year became the first cyclist from Pakistan to strike gold in the individual time trial in the Masters category. He also won the crown in the Road Scratch Race.

Ali is undergoing tough training these days.

“I am super fit and ride for 100 to 150 kilometer every day,” he said.

Ali will lead the men’s elite pack which also carries Farman (SSGC), Shan Mohammad (SSGC), Abdul Razzaq (SSGC), Aqib Shah (SSGC) and Ismail (Bikestan).

Similarly, Mohammad Yousuf from SSGC and Sanaullah from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will feature in the men’s under-23 event. In the women’s masters Rabia Gharib (SSGC) and Zainab Rizwan of Punjab will flex their muscles.

Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) have also shortlisted a few more in Masters category who will be fielded depending on the resources.

They include Umair Siddiqui, Qazi Atif, Rehan Haider, Abdul Wahab, Danish Naseem, Haroon General and Umayr Sahlan.

“It’s going to be warm in Thailand and so already doing heat acclimation training from now exposing body to fever temperatures to acclimate to the heat and humidity,” Ali said.

Ali said that he is receiving training from Spanish coach.

Ali, who receives training from Spanish coach, lamented lack of state support, adding it’s hurting the cyclists’ growth.

“I pay for my own tickets, training and coaching facility. As training is on the roads with open traffic and on the highways so it’s very risky. I am on the road and on my bike for four hours every day,” he said.

Ali also requested Sindh’s government to extend some support to them in terms of security on the road for this month.

“As these are tough training days for the national team and we need the assistance of the Sindh government to provide us security,” he said.

Ali said that they don’t even have a mechanic with them on international tours.

“You know we even don’t have a mechanic with us on foreign trips while China has a huge support staff and their riders are smartly looked after,” he said.

He pointed out that the national riders don’t have even money to cover the calories which they burn during training.

“A normal person burns 1800 calories in 24 hours. when I train for 120 kilometer I burn 3200 calories in those three hours. And to replenish them you need to eat at least Rs 2000 worth of food and it means you need Rs50,000 in 22 days. In Pakistan how many cyclists are there who can afford to spend Rs50,000 on just their food and people expect medals,” Ali said.

A PCF official told Nukta that the tour will cost federation a huge amount.

“It will cost us around Rs70 million,” the PCF official said.

“We have requested the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and let’s see what happens. These days sending a team abroad is too tough and you need strong support of the state and corporate sector,” the official said.

Asian Cycling Confederation elections

On the sideline of the Asian Championship ACC will also hold its congress to elect its new president and other office-bearers.

The current ACC chief Osama Ahmed Al Shafar of the UAE has completed his two four-year tenures. Now the actual competition for the ACC presidency will be between Dato Amarjit Singh Gill of Malaysia and Raja Sapta Oktohari of Indonesia.

Amarjit is the president of Malaysian Cycling Federation while Raja Sapta is the president of Indonesian National Olympic Committee and Indonesian Cycling Federation.

Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) president Syed Azhar Ali Shah will also contest for the slot of the ACC Management Committee. This is the first time that any Pakistani will be contesting for the ACC slot.