FORMER Malaysian professional cyclist Mohd Hafidz Abd Hamid was crowned the Specialised 140km Elite Men’s category champion after a close sprint finish against defending champion Matthew Brittain.
“It was an unexpected win, and it was truly my lucky day. There were moments I almost gave up but seeing an opportunity to secure second place, I persevered until the final kilometre, giving it my all in that last sprint,“ he said.
L’Étape Melaka by Tour de France welcomed over 3,350 cycling enthusiasts from 47 countries for the debut on May 5th.
The event was organised by Amaury Sport Organisation, owners of the Tour de France, and Malaysian company Muse Group Asia. Dubbed the “World’s Greatest Amateur Cycling Event”, the event allowed participants to experience the renowned Tour de France.
While in the women’s race, South Africa’ Alicia Brittain successfully defended her Elite title.
“I’m feeling over the moon. Every race, you start from zero and you don’t have any expectations. I’m just very happy that everything went to plan. It was a safe race, and I was able to keep up and win,“ she said.
Riders competed on 140km and 70km routes approved by Tour experts, with full road closures, feed stations and medical support.
Riduwan Matni, Muse Group Asia’s Group CEO said: “We are thrilled to bring L’Étape by Tour de France to Melaka for the first time and during the Visit Melaka Year 2024. The enthusiasm shown by riders and spectators is a testament to the growing cycling community in Asia.”
The setting blended cycling with exploring Melaka’s cultural heritage. Festival activities included a lucky draw for over RM100,000 in prizes, including a Specialized Roubaix SL8 valued at RM27,000.
Amaury Sport Organisation, founded in 1992, is a major international sports event company owning top competitions like the Tour de France, Dakar Rally and Paris Marathon.
Based in France, the company organises 240 days of events annually across 90 competitions in 25 countries. It is a subsidiary of the Amaury Group, a French media conglomerate that owns the newspaper L’Equipe.
Serving as the local co-organisers was Muse Group Asia, a brand activation and experiential marketing agency based in Malaysia that specialises in music, sports and entertainment events.
With a decade operating in Southeast Asia, Muse Group Asia has extensive experience organising large-scale international sporting events in the region, including the Spartan Race, Marvel Run and Malaysia’s biggest half marathon.
