Rivals hold the edge in Sea Games road cycling
Repeating the feat at this year's Thailand Sea Games (Dec 9-20), however, will not be an easy feat.
Hosts Thailand are expected to use a steep summit finish in the mass start race to maximise their chances of snagging the gold on home soil.
Malaysia is known for producing potent sprinters and breakaway specialists over the years but lacks a strong and experienced out-an-out climber suitable for the course.
Malaysia Pro Cycling team principal Sayuti Zahit expects riders from Thailand, Indonesia, Laos and the Philippines to excel in this year's mass start race.
Sayuti, who co-coached the national squad for the last two editions of the games, listed Thailand trio Peerapol Chawchiangkwang, Thanakhan Chaiyasombat and Navuti Liphongyu, the Philippines' Nichol Pareja, Jonel Carcueva and Joshua Pascual, Laos' Ariya Phounsavanth and Indonesia's Aiman Cahayadi as among the favourites for the event.
In addition to individual medals for the top-three finishers in the mass start race, there will also be a team category this year where the timing of the first three riders from each country will be combined to determine the medallists.
"Thailand has not revealed the whole course for the mass start race this year but it will definitely end with a summit finish," said Sayuti when contacted today (June 2).
"We have been told there will be about 15 to 20 kilometres of climbing leading into the finish line with gradients exceeding 20 per cent.
"It will require a long and sustained effort which will definitely suits their (Thailand) riders. No surprises there.
"The Thai trio will be among the favourites there and will be extra motivated to secure a win in front of their home crowd.
"In terms of strength in depth, Thailand and the Philippines have the advantage for the team category but there are other riders who could win the individual gold.
"Aiman Cahyadi has a lot of experience and is very smart in terms of tactics. Indonesia has a good set of younger riders coming up the ranks so he will also get good support during the race.
"Ariya has the engine and the experience needed to win it as he has clinched gold before (Myanmar 2013). He would be my bet to win the individual gold.
"But he does not have the same quality of teammates to support him as his rivals so he will have to race smart."
Peerapol clinched silver - the top Southeast Asian finisher - in the Asian Championships mass start race which was also held in Thailand earlier this year.
Thailand have also included the individual time trial and team time trial events among the list of men's road events for this year's Sea Games but have opted to omit the criterium, an event Malaysia has traditionally been strong in.
Nur Amirull Fakhruddin Mazuki clinched gold (mass start) and silver (criterium) for Malaysia during the 2023 Phnom Penh Sea Games.
Nur Aiman Zariff won the mass start gold while Nur Aiman Rosli clinched the individual time trial bronze for Malaysia during the 2021 Hanoi Sea Games, which was held in 2022 due to Covid-19.
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