KUALA LUMPUR: Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh wants national rider Elmi Jumari to focus on his recovery after a horrific crash in Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) on Monday.
The 34-year-old suffered broken fingers and collarbone, and is currently hospitalised.
The crash came at a huge cost as Elmi's S-Works Tarmac bike, which cost RM36,000, was wrecked. To add insult to injury, he was fined 200 Swiss francs (RM977) by the commissaires for deviating from his line during the bunch sprint.
Unlike UCI Continental sides, Terengganu Cycling Team (Polygon) and Malaysia Pro Cycling (Trek), the national squad do not have a bike sponsor.
Yeoh said they had received a request for a replacement bike for Elmi, but she wants the rider to recover from his injuries first.
"We have received requests from his friends, and the National Sports Council (NSC) is looking at the issue but what's important is for him to focus on his recovery in the hospital," said Yeoh today.
"What's important is for him to get back to training as soon as possible. I want him to focus on recovery, and after that, the NSC will look into the bicycle issue."
Elmi underwent surgery to save a finger on his left hand at a hospital in Bagan yesterday and is likely to undergo two more procedures.
The crash happened roughly 150 metres from the stage two finish line in Butterworth, and it ended his LTdL campaign. Elmi's recovery could take up to six months.