KUCHING: Sarawak’s cycling squad faces velodrome training challenges ahead of the 2026 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) but remains confident of delivering medals across multiple disciplines, said Sarawak Cycling Association (SCA) President, Irawan Sudarsono.
He said preparations for the upcoming SUKMA are now entering a crucial phase, with the team expected to begin training camps in West Malaysia, particularly in Selangor.
However, he noted that access to velodrome facilities remains a major challenge, as states compete for limited training slots at the Nilai Velodrome, which is also heavily used by the national track cycling squad and other state teams.
“At the moment, one of the biggest challenges is securing velodrome time. Everyone is trying to book the Nilai Velodrome, so availability is very limited,” he told a press conference at the Baitulmakmur Building II here today.
He added that due to the shortage of slots, Sarawak may also consider alternative facilities such as Johor for track training.
“Of course, it would be wonderful if Sarawak could have its own velodrome for training, but this is the reality of the current situation,” he said.
Irawan said Sarawak riders are also pursuing different preparation pathways, including international exposure, with two mountain bike athletes currently competing in Uzbekistan to gain UCI ranking points and race experience.
He said other athletes are continuing local training in Kuching across various disciplines, including BMX (bicycle motocross) Freestyle at the skate park near Sarawak Stadium and mountain biking at the Siol MTB track, while downhill riders are also preparing for the Games.
The main training camp is expected to commence in the final month before SUKMA, with the squad set to move to West Malaysia for the final phase of preparations.
On medal expectations, Irawan said competition will be intense, particularly as Sarawak’s recent successes have mostly come from younger riders who will now face older and physically stronger opponents aged around 20 to 21.
“We are adjusting our expectations based on the level of competition, but we will definitely put up a fight,” he said.
He added that Sarawak is targeting around two to three gold medals across cycling disciplines, with hopes of securing the state’s first gold in either road or track events, while additional medals are expected in other categories.
