Following the last blog post, here is an updated and in-depth report of Loh joining the OCBC Singapore Continental Cycling Team, and a look into his preparations for the 2012 season: 

"Get in position, boys!" Lorna Campbell, the team's PR Agent, coordinating team photos. 

The much anticipated team launch was held at OCBC Bank’s main office situated in Singapore’s central business district along Chulia Street. The team had secured a UCI Continental license; and the media buzz surrounding the event was very encouraging. All riders and team staff were introduced, and the launch was followed by interviews with the local news and sports journalists. We then proceeded to have team photos taken along the historic Singapore River.

Jun Rong prepares to go in front of the TV crew. 

Behind-the-scenes, the team launch was a simple and cozy affair for the riders and team management alike. My immediate impression is that this is a close-knit team with everyone working closely together. Even the sponsor, OCBC Bank Singapore, has many staff members actively-involved. Seeing this has put me at ease, and I feel very comfortable in this new team.

At the team briefing before the launch. 

Joining this team has also reunited me with Haidar Anuawar, my team mate for 2 years in the Marco Polo Cycling Team. He had been out of competitive cycling for a year; dedicating time to starting his family. Haidar and his wife are now proud parents to a baby boy, and in the meantime, they have even managed to get a small restaurant up and running!

Haidar (2nd from left) and Loh (right) with cycling's favourite devil, Didi Senft. 

Now that things have settled down on the home front, Haidar has found motivation to ride again, and the team has offered him a rare opportunity to return to competitive cycling. I have always enjoyed racing with Haidar, and look forward to teaming up once again. It will not be long before he gets back to peak condition, and our previous experiences racing together will certainly make things easier on the road.

A view from the saddle with the OCBC team in training. Haidar and Loh will now be a part of this close-knit team. 

Along with the new team comes new equipment, and I am excited to be racing Opera bicycles this year. The team’s equipment is provided by Cycle Worx Singapore, a great bicycle shop owned, and run by Singapore’s most successful professional cyclist to-date - Kenneth Tan and his business partner Mohd Yusoff. Arriving at Cycle Worx, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted in Dutch! We later found out that Kenneth and I had both been living and racing in the same region in Holland – only 15 years apart!

Cycle Worx is not just a bicycle shop but also a strong supporter of the region's cycle sport and culture. 

After the team presentation and formalities, I made my way home to Malaysia. I had travelled to Singapore by bus, and similarly I had my return trip on the bus. And just like all the other travelers, I had to pack my new team bike and all the new team kit in the lower storage compartment!

Pinarello and Opera are represented by Cycle Worx in Singapore. 

Back at home, I continued my preparations for the new season. OCBC’s bright red kit gave me renewed motivation, and putting it on for the first time felt so different after the last 7 years of Marco Polo blue. This wardrobe refresher also coincided with the Chinese Lunar New Year, and red is a great colour as it symbolizes success!  

Loh fielding questions from journalists :-P 

Traditionally, Chinese New Year festivities include family reunions; visiting friends; and prayers at the temples. This year’s festivities were especially joyful as my sister returned from the United States for the first time in 5 years. This made it an auspicious occasion for my family, and I wanted to spend the holidays and celebrate the Chinese New Year at home. We also made trips to Kelantan, Ipoh, Melaka, and Penang where I caught up with my blog’s editor!

Loh taking a breather in Penang during the Chinese New Year holidays. 

This however meant that I missed out on the team training camp in Thailand, and had to balance the festivities and the quintessential pre-season hours on the bike. I did have my bike with me even while travelling with my family. And amidst all the festivities and feasting, I was able to get out on my bike in the early mornings.

Tour de Langkawi reconaissance with Shinichi Fukushima (right); my arch-nemesis from Stage 8 of last year's Tour of Indonesia! (photo courtesy of Danny Feng) 

Looking more closely at my training over the past months, I have been building base miles since December. After the ADC Vietnam Tour, I had a platform for the initial phase of my 2012 preparations. This allowed me to increase the intensity with quality rides - I have been putting a lot of time into motor paced efforts; sprint practice; and generally riding at E3-E4 levels. Additionally, I have incorporated training on the velodrome in the hope that the specific workouts will yield good form for the upcoming season.

From the dizzying heights of Genting Highlands; a picture taken on a recce of this year's Tour de Langkawi stage. 

The team’s international debut will be in my home race – the UCI 2.HC Tour de Langkawi. This gives me more motivation to train and be at my peak right from the beginning of the season. I have been doing route recognition rides around Kuala Lumpur and paying special attention to the notorious Genting Highlands climb. Look for more updates on the blog as we draw closer to the start on the 24^th of February. Until then, thanks for reading!