Junaidi Hashim and Ho Jun Rong to take part in Cycle Singapore

Contributed by Lorna Campbell

Monday, February 8, 2010 - With OCBC Cycle Singapore 2010 just over one month away, Spectrum Worldwide today announced the first wave of world-class cyclists that will pedal into Singapore to compete in the Professional Criterium taking place on 7 March.

Topping the line-up are riders from the Garmin Transitions and Lampre Farnese Vini teams. Garmin Transitions have confirmed they will be sending Travis Meyer, the new Australian National Road Champion to Singapore. 21-year-old Meyer, from Western Australia, has had a rapid rise to success collecting Junior World Track Championship titles in 2006 and 2007, as well as, wins in the Tour of Wellington and Tour of Berlin in 2008.

Lampre Farnese Vini will compete with an Italian trio of Angelo Furlan, Andre Grendene and Marco Marzano. Furlan has won stages of the Tour of Spain, Dauphine Libere in France, and Tour of Poland in recent years while Marzano is a double stage winner of the Brixia Tour in Italy and was second on two stages of the Tour of Spain last year – he hopes to go one better in Singapore.

The Professional Criterium pits 65 riders against each other over one and a half hours of intensive racing on a two km circuit around the F1 Pit Building. The race also includes three special sprints to find the Schick King of the Sprints and entertain the crowds. This high-adrenaline event is reserved for cycling professionals and is by invitation only.

"The calibre of riders we have coming to OCBC Cycle Singapore for the 2010 competition shows the appeal of our event to the cycling professionals and we are expecting a very high standard of racing again this year. The spectators and riders taking part in the two-day event will be thoroughly entertained by this fast paced and exciting race that will be the showpiece of cycling action on the final day," said Chris Robb, Managing Director of Spectrum Worldwide.

Along with the influx of foreign riders, the OCBC Cycle Singapore team will be competing in both the 50km Super Challenge and the Professional Criterium. Sponsored by event title sponsor OCBC Bank, Junaidi Hashim and Ho Jun Rong are two of the team's riders that will be keen to show their talents amongst an esteemed international line up of champions and stage winners.

Other notable names in the field this year, who are returning for their second outing, include British cycling veteran Malcolm Elliot for Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta team and Jason Allen from New Zealand team who finished second in the King of the Sprints and fourth in the criterium last year.

Registration for OCBC Cycle Singapore 2010, which already has over 8,000 entrants, is open until 21 February, with a range of categories to accommodate all level of riders. New to the line up for the second year of the event are the Mighty Saversâ„¢ Tricycle Ride for the young enthusiasts and the Cycle of Hope ride for cancer survivors and supporters taking place on Saturday evening. The Sunday schedule includes a revamped 50km Super Challenge that will follow the same course as that of the be upcoming Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games road race, which will be completed over a City circuit, and the female riders will battle it out in the Ladies' Open/Masters' criterium event at the F1 Pit Building.

Elite Riders Announced so far:
Lampre Farnese Vini
Angelo FURLAN, ITA
Andrea GRENDENE, ITA
Marco MARZANO, ITA

Garmin Transitions
Travis MEYER, AUS

OCBC Singapore Cycling Team
Rong HO JUN, SIN
Hashim JUNAIDI, SIN

New Zealand
Jeremy YATES, NZL
Jason ALLEN, NZL
Mike NORTHEY, NZL
Patrick BEVIN, NZL

Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta
Malcolm ELLIOTT, GBR
James SAMPSON, GBR
Pete WILLIAMS, GBR
Ian BIBBY, GBR

For more event information log onto www.ocbc.cyclesingapore.com.sg