Five foreign countries comprising Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lankan and Nepal cyclist will be taking part in the 15th edition of Tour de Pakistan Cycle to be pedaling off from Peshawar on March 1 at 9.00 a.m. This was stated by President of the NWFP Cycling Association Syed Azhar Ali Shah while talking to APP here on Wednesday. He said that Governor NWFP Owais Ahmad Ghani would grace the occasion at the opening ceremony to be starting from Pear Continental premises.
He said that the grueling 1655 kilometers spread over 11 stages will flagged-off from in front of PC Hotel and terminate 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 foreign teams’ 78 peddlers from four provinces, FATA, Pakistan Army, WAPDA, Railways, Sui Southern Gas will vie for the top honor. The event will carry lucrative prize money of US&10,000.
The event is being staged under the directives and patronization of President of Pakistan with support from Pakistan Sports Board, he added. 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.
The event is a regular feature of the Pakistan Cycling Federation. This is the biggest cycling event of Asia which is modeled on the pattern of Tour de France Cycle Race.After the start from Peshawar the cyclists would paddle-off to Rawalpindi, the first stage of the international event.