Cycling International Tour de Pakistan Cycle Race to start on Monday
PESHAWAR, Feb. 28 (APP): Carrying US $ 10,000 prize money the 15th International Tour de Pakistan Cycle Race will be commencing from Pear Continental Hotel today (Monday) at 9.00 a.m with 63 cyclists including players from Afghanistan will vie for the top honor.
Idrees Haider Khawjah, Secretary General of Pakistan Cycling Federation while addressing in Meet the Press arranged by Sarhad Sports Writers Association at Olympic Secretariat on Sunday, stated this. Afghanistan, a foreign is taking part while the rest of the four teams comprising Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lankan and Nepal did not turn up despite their confirmation the reason best known to them. “We are full prepared for conducting the race as all arrangement have been made according to the wish and desired of the foreign teams,” Idrees Haider Khawjah said. It was setup back for us but the Race, which is regular feature of the Pakistan Cycling Federation, would go one, he added. The race, he said, would finish at Mazar-e-Quiad with Governor Sindh Dr.
Ishrat-ul-Ibad would be the chief guest at the presentation ceremony.
The cyclists, he said,would cover a distance of 1685km in 11 different stages. After the opening stage of the race, starting from Peshawar, it would finish at Rawalpindi after crossing a distance of 158 km, followed by Rawalpindi-Gujrat (153kg), Gujrat-Lahore (115km) after a rest at Lahore, the cyclists will continue from Lahore-Sahiwal(160km),Sahiwal-Multan (154kg), Multan-Bahawalpur (90kg, Bahawalpur-Rahim Yar Khan (200).
In Rahim Yar Khan the cyclists would do second rest and after rest-day on they would again paddle off from Rahim Yar Khan-Sukkur (178km), followed by Sukkur-Moro (150km),Moro-Hyderabad (163km)andHyderabad-Karachi (153) will be the last stage. It would third occasion that the race is starting from Peshawar and finishing at Mazar-e-Quiad. Last year the race finished at Peshawar whereas Niamat Ali of Sui Southern Gas won the race. He would also defend his title. It would be fifth time that cyclists from Afghanistan are taking part in the Race, Idrees said.
During the all 11 stages it will finished at on March, 13 at Mazar-e-Quiad, Karachi after passing through some major cities of NWFP, Punjab and Sindh before culminating in Sindh Capital. Besides Afghanistan teams from FATA, Pakistan Army, WAPDA, Railways, Sui Southern Gas will and cyclists of the four provinces vie for the top honor.
The event will carry lucrative prize money of US&10,000, he said. He said foolproof security arrangements have been made to conduct the race. A technical team of PCF had already have traveled across the route to inspect the road conditions.
This is the biggest cycling event of Asia, which is modeled on the pattern of Tour de France Cycle Race, he said.
Cycling International Tour de Pakistan Cycle Race to start on Monday
Linear Mode
