KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu cyclist Siti Nur Alia Mansor has become the first South East Asian woman to join a professional world acclaimed cycling team, after she signed on as a rider for Spain-based Canyon-SRAM Racing Team.

The 21-year-old will now be the first and only national woman cyclist to compete in the UCI Women's World Tour.

She said that the one-year contract offer from the world's fifth-ranked women's cycling team was like a dream come true for her.

"I was contacted by Adam Szabo, the former Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) coach who is now coaching the Canyon-SRAM Racing Team last June. He told me he was interested in signing me up for the team.

"I took a month to think about my future and cycling career development before agreeing," he said at an event celebrating her success at Wisma Darul Iman here today.

Siti Nur Alia, a Terengganu Malaysia Games (Sukma) athlete, received an allowance of RM3,000 from state Youth Development, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Committee chairman Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah during the event.

Even though she is excited about cycling abroad, 2018 Malaysia Games (Sukma) silver and bronze medalist Siti Nur Alia said she felt nervous about the prospect of cycling with her more experienced teammates.

"This will be a stepping stone or start for me to chase bigger dreams, like competing at the Olympics.

"I will repay the sacrifices made by my family, coaches and the Terengganu cycling fraternity by bringing glory to Terengganu and Malaysia at the world stage one day," she said.

Meanwhile, Wan Sukairi said the state government, through the Terengganu State Sports Council will continue providing the RM1,500 monthly allowance to Siti Nur Alia for a year.

"We are very grateful that Alia's new team is ready to allow her to return in April to participate in Sukma.

"So we hope she will use the opportunity to gain valuable experience there and bring glory to the state during the 2020 Sukma, which is expected to take place in June," he added.

-- BERNAMA