TEAM Sapura Cycling's Akmal Hakim Zakaria overcame a late mechanical issue to win a hard-fought men's elite road race at the National Championships in Melaka yesterday.
Akmal edged defending champion Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki to complete the 182-kilometre race in four hours, 36 minutes and three seconds.
Amirull's Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) teammate Afiq Huznie Othman came in third, eight seconds behind them.
The riders raced seven laps of a 26km loop which started and ended in Bukit Katil.
Akmal, who finished second to Amirull in last year's race, said: "Finishing second last year motivated me to work harder in training. I am proud of my achievement today (yesterday)," said Akmal.
"I dropped my chain roughly 5 kilometres from the finish and I had to stop to fix it. It cost me about 30 seconds.
"Once I got back on my bike, I chased down the front group with everything I had. I managed to catch up with them and was able to recover."
Akmal's victory completed a strong weekend for Sapura at the national meet, which also saw them winning the men's elite individual time trial through Nur Aiman Rosli, as well as the men's elite team time trial on Friday and Saturday.
The continental team had also won the men's Under-23 individual time trial via Saari Amri Abd Rasim.
Siti Nur Adibah Akma Fuad (Johor A) won the women's elite road race in 2:32.18s just ahead of second-placed Nur Aisyah Zubir (Terengganu A). Nurul Najwa Mohamad Fauzi (Terengganu A) was a distant third (+20:02s).