SINGAPORE — The decathlon is known as the toughest of athletics events, with competitors having to compete, and excel, in 10 track and field events over two consecutive days.

National athlete Lance Tan is familiar with the gruelling nature of the sport, having competed at last year’s South-east Asian Games in the men’s decathlon. He finished eighth in a new personal best of 4,922 points.

But the 29-year-old is about to embark on a new challenge this time, in an entirely different sport: Cycling. Tan traded his running spikes for cleats after the SEA Games in June, and has now set his sights on representing Singapore in cycling at the 2017 SEA Games in Malaysia.

Tan had signed up for the selection trials for the national team after chancing upon a flyer at a cycling shop two months ago.

At last week’s physiological profiling session held at Muve Sports to measure energy systems, he emerged as one of the surprise performers, posting 1,700W during the six-second peak power test on the Wattbike. According to Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) head coach Adrian Ng, male cyclists usually hit an average of 1,500W on the Wattbike.

“I’m surprised by the results as I didn’t know what to expect,” Tan told TODAY. “I’ve always been interested in cycling and when these national trials came up I signed up and I thought let’s see where it goes.”

Added Tan, who won a bronze medal with the men’s 4x400m relay team at the 2011 SEA Games: “After more than 10 years in athletics, I feel that I’ve achieved whatever I set out to do.

“I have some legs left in me, and this is something I’ve been interested in since (I was) young. If I make the team, my goal is to make the SEA Games team.”

Tan is part of a 145-strong group who signed up for the selection trials, and the SCF will select a squad of 30 for the national road cycling team in July ahead of next year’s SEA Games and Asian Continental Championships.

Ng has been impressed with Tan’s performance so far, but added: “His statistics are good. However, we have to convert that to practical use. He could be on the squad of 30, and could be a prominent sprinter, but there are still variables to consider.”

Tan is set to compete in this month’s OCBC Cycle National Road Championship — which consists of two races in the individual time trial (May 22) and road race (May 29) — which makes a return to the calendar after a two-year hiatus.

The journey to the SEA Games is set to be another gruelling one for the decathlete, but Tan — who hopes to compete in track cycling — is ready to take on the challenge.

“For sportsmen, you always need something to strive towards, you don’t wake up and train for nothing,” he said. “I want to improve, and I want to win a medal for the nation, and be the best that I can be.”

Eight cyclists were also awarded their yellow jerseys by the SCF yesterday for winning their respective categories at the OCBC Cycle Road Race in March. One of the winners was 16-year-old Firoz Loh (junior A, 24km), who finished fourth in the men’s junior individual time trial at this year’s Asian Cycling Championships in Japan.

Firoz is also aiming to make the national squad of 30 this year. “I was working out on the Wattbike four to five times a week before the Asian Championships and I got used to it. I think I will fare quite well,” he said.