Lance Tan was bruised, physically and mentally, following the SEA Games in Malaysia in August. He cost Singapore the bronze in the men's team pursuit event when he crashed out.

He thought of giving up cycling during his six-week break after the Games, but said to himself: "I don't want to end my track cycling career with that crash.

"I decided that the best way to get over it was to prove to myself and everyone that I can be better."

The 30-year-old former track and field athlete redeemed himself at the Queen's Cup in Bangkok last weekend.

The research engineer clocked a personal best of 1min 8.557sec to win the men's 1km individual time trial last Saturday, with team-mate Mohamed Elyas Mohamed Yusoff winning the 200m sprint event (10.945s) during the two-day competition.

It was Tan's first race after the Games and he did not know what to expect - having trained only at the East Coast Park and in the gym in the absence of a velodrome here.

"It was definitely a morale-booster, I didn't have any expectations of myself, I just wanted to prove myself," said Tan, who improved on his previous best time by about four seconds.

Tan has set his sights on qualifying for the Asian Track Cycling Championship next February in Malaysia, as well as the men's team sprint event at the Asian Games in August in Indonesia.

Tan said: "The kilo (1km time trial) is not offered at the Asian Games, but I know that if I maintain my kilo training, Elyas and I can be part of a strong team to make the Games."