Kumaresan seeks longer overseas stint

NATIONAL cyclist M. Kumaresan returned from his three-month training in
Stuttgart, Germany, on Saturday, with the hope of winning a gold medal in
the Asian cycling championships in Ipoh in November, reports TONY MARIA-
DASS.
The 26-year-old cyclist who, besides training under coach Hans Holzer
and supervision of Karl Link and competing in weekend races, ended his
stint by competing in the World Championship in Norway last month.
And for the first time in a world-class field, Kumaresan managed to
compete the 186km road race, where he finished 132nd out of a field of
250.
Probably nothing to shout about, but Kumaresan had reasons to be happy.
"In my previous two outings with world class riders, in the 1988
Olympics and World championship in Stuttgart in 1990, I did not complete
the race, as I was left far behind and lapped by the other riders," said
Kumaresan.
"But this time around, I not only completed, but also did not get
lapped.
"This is indeed an achievement for me because I was not totally
outclassed.
"Besides, it was a tough and fast pace race where the cyclists were
averaging about 45kph and on downhill hitting about 85kph."
Kumaresan, who was sponsored by SportExcel, said the trip was indeed
benefical for him. He had previously trained in Germany on five other
occasions from 1988, also on short stints.
He felt that short stints do not help him totally.
"Most of the riders who competed in the World Championship have been
preparing and competing in races in Europe for the last six months.
"Even the Japanese cyclists have been in Europe for more than three
months preparing for the race."
Kumaresan said that the training methods in Europe is very advanced and
scientific.
"Their training, food and suppelements they take are so advanced," said
Kumaresan.
"They also do high-altitude training for pre-season which I have missed.
"To top it, the cyclists get top-level competition almost very week and
when I said that I race about 20 to 3O races a year, they were surprised,
because that is the number of races they compete in about three months.
"My stint in Stuttgart was beneficial, but I feel that I will benefit
more if I am based there for a longer period, probably seven months a
year."
Kumaresan said that he has definitely improved with his three-month
stint and was hoping to get a gold in Ipoh, although his actual target is
to win a gold at the Hiroshima Asian Games next year.
Kumaresan won one silver medal in the 30km point race and one bronze in
the 4km individual pursuit in 1991 Asian cycling championship in Beijing
and a silver in the point race in 1987 in Jakarta.