SINGAPORE - There was not two, or three or even five cyclists in the mad scramble to finish first at the SEA Games men's road race, but a whopping 27.
At Marina Bay South on Sunday morning, it was a tense climax at the end in the 27-strong leading group but Malaysia's Saleh Harrif powered to a last-gasp surge and was marginally ahead of the peloton to win the photo finish in 3:19:33, as the entire pack clocked the same time.
Vietnam's Le Van Duan clinched the silver while another Malaysian, Manan Anuar, was third.
Singapore's Low Ji Wen, criterium bronze medallist Vincent Ang, Goh Choon Huat and Darren Low finished with the pack in 7th, 8th, 19th and 23rd positions respectively while Noel Teh and Benedict Joseph Lee did not make it to the finish line.
Sunday's race concludes the Games' cycling events. Singapore finished the campaign with two bronze medals with Dinah Chan (women's individual time trial) and Ang (men's criterium) getting on the podium.
"The team did pretty alright, there were ups and downs this Games. They fought their best but (the cyclists from) other countries were just stronger," said Singapore cycling team manager Samuel Yang.
