In a sport that consistently logs winners from Europe and the Tasman Antipodes New Zealand and Australia, Asians are fewer in numbers, and find it tough to break through. Even so, pro cycling teams from China, Malaysia, Korea and Thailand, are attempting to find a toehold at cycling’s Pune Grand Tour. The same impediments of genetics, cycling culture and sheer exposure stop Asians from acing the long road race of cycling.
But two Asians have smashed conventions – in their own distinct ways – bagging attention. Jambalhamts Sainbayar is a pioneer from Mongolia, who has been finishing with the orange jersey (best Asian finisher) on all three completed days of the UCI 2.2 event at Pune, and racing for 11 years now, currently with one of Spain’s top teams Burgos Burpellet.
Mongolia is hardly ever on the pro-sport map of the world, but the 29-year-old started a trend that was astonishing for his compatriots that it led to an explosion of expressive cycling (speeding) in the sport.
“Mongolia mostly has just wrestling, judo and pistol shooting. I was the first one to turn professional,” says the soft-spoken sprinter, who can straddle the climbs with equal tenacity.
After racing for years in Asia, the Spanish pro team picked him for his disciplined riding. “I was an only child, and I can remember riding a bicycle since I was 3. By 15 I was racing professionally,” he says.
Cycling’s top road race finishes tend to be overwhelmingly from western riders, and it’s exceedingly tough to keep pace for Asians. Day 3 honours went to Aussie Cameron Scott of Team Li Ning Star, but Sainbayar hasn’t stopped trying. The Chinese team’s best Pune finishers on all three stages have been from New Zealand or Australia, and they have just the two Chinese in their ranks, so Asian riders have clearly struggled to find their cleats into the pedaling slot of this sport. Sainbayar, remains, the rare success of an Asian in the fierce world of road cycling, and has been a revelation with his consistency over all sorts of challenges, on climbs and sprints.
Bizzy Biker from Bikaner
Manav Sarda won’t exactly twirl his moustache, but the young rider from India’s Developing squad is mighty proud of what he’s achieving in his chosen sport. It’s fairly common for Bikaner cyclists to make it to the national team. “It’s known as India’s cycling hub and lots from my Rajasthan city actually make it to the Services and India squad. But they tend to be the sporty Jatt-Bishnoi community. I’m a Bania. It was tough to believe I could get into this sport,” says the young rider, who finished with the Blue jersey (for best Indian rider after Stage 2). Harshveer Singh Sikhon leads the Indian pack now.
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The pressure to stick to a family vocation – business in his case – was daunting. “I had started cycling because I was a little fat. Bikaner has all these amazing cyclists, but never from my community. And many from my community laughed and taunted me when I said I want to do sport. We are supposed to just be in business, everything else is looked down on as failure. But I loved all those Bikaner bikers and wanted to break the stereotype. My parents supported me always. I’m happy I’ve done well in Pune’s first year of the pro race,” he says.
He hopes many will now get into sport, and the city’s bike heritage gets as much play as its bhujia. “After all we are Bikaner boys,” he says, stressing he’s following a rich tradition. “Hopefully international success follows, and I make my city and country proud.”
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
