KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian cycling legend Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang is proving that age and transition to professional status are no barriers to national pride, as he continues his quest to qualify for the 2025 UCI World Championships – all while riding a bike uniquely built for him.
The 2020 Olympic silver medallist, now racing independently under Team Azizul, said the National Sports Council (MSN) has given full support for him to use his bespoke WX-R Vorteq bicycle – a machine engineered precisely to his physique and racing needs.
“This bike was made for me – no one else can really use it. It’s part of what helps me deliver on my targets, especially looking ahead to the 2026 Asian and Commonwealth Games,” he told Bernama after being unveiled as Volkswagen Malaysia’s first brand ambassador.
The Pocket Rocketman said the only other rider who might be able to use the design he is using is Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri, who already rides a Vorteq model, as the other riders, like Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom, are taller and bigger.
Now training back on home soil with the national squad, Azizulhasni is aiming to impress national technical director John Beasley to earn a place in the World Championships in Santiago, Chile this October.
While Beasley has yet to confirm him for individual events, the door remains open for him to join the team sprint – a key component of Azizulhasni’s long-term comeback plan.
“Beasley is assessing my progress. If I can compete in one or two events before Worlds, that would be ideal,” he said.
While the final race line-up is up to the coaching team, the decorated sprinter remains focused and flexible: “If I can go for the team sprint, great. If I’m slotted into individual events, I’ll give it my all. It’s about contributing however I can.”
Now juggling a busier schedule as a pro athlete – including sponsor obligations – Azizulhasni remains unfazed.
“There’s less free time, sure, but I love what I do,” he said.
In April, Azizulhasni confirmed he would continue competing professionally until 2026 with support from a RM200,000 grant from MSN, marking a new chapter in a career that has already inspired a generation of Malaysian athletes. – July 23, 2025