KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 — A leading cyclist has urged the organisers of Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2020, Human Voyage (M) Sdn Bhd, to quickly pay the prize money due to local winners of the premier Asian cycling race.

Terengganu Inc TSG Cycling Team sprint specialist Mohd Harrif Saleh said he feared that any further delay in payments would demoralise local cyclists and even discourage people from going into competitive cycling.

"I’m not too badly affected because I’m on contract with TSG and get a monthly allowance, apart from earning some income from the grilled fish business I share with my wife. But what about the fate of other local cyclists?

"I feel sad that this thing (late payment of prize money) happened frequently in local races. Organisers should be more responsible in making the payments as local riders have all worked hard (for their victories),” he told Bernama today.

Mohd Harrif claimed that apart from the LTdL 2020 prize money, he was still waiting for the payment for winning the men’s elite stage five of the Tour of Malaysia 2017 in Alor Setar.

In LTdL 2020, the 31-year-old cyclist won two stages — stage five from Kuala Kubu Baru to Ipoh and stage seven from Bagan to Alor Setar. — Bernama