Bank Al-Falah 13th Tour-de-Pakistan International Cycle Race, organised by Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) in collaboration with Sui Southern Gas Company, got off to a riveting start on Sunday.
A statement said that Sindh Minister for Sports, Qamar Mansoor, sent the cyclists off at the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam. It said that the flag-off ceremony was held at 10.05 am, amid much colour and fanfare.
The PCF office-bearers including Senior Vice President, Munawar Baseer Ahmad, and Secretary General Idrees Haider Khawaja as well as Engineer Naeem-ur-Rehman Akhoond, President SSGC Sports Board, Abdul Bari Jilani, President Sindh Cycling Association were present on the occasion. Government officials, distinguished citizens of Karachi and Sindh and representatives of the Pakistan Cycling Federation, sponsors and supporters of the event were also present to witness the inaugural ceremony and the flag-off that followed.
The statement further said that the gruelling two week cycling event, considered as Asia's biggest cycling event will feature foreign teams constituting around 20 cyclists from Canada, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and New Zealand, apart from hosts Pakistan is covering a distance of 1,648 km and would culminate on March 16 at Qila Bala Hisar in Peshawar with stopovers at Hyderabad, Moro, Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, Sahiwal, Lahore, Gujrat and Rawalpindi.
The riders of four provinces of Pakistan and four departmental teams including SSGC, Wapda, Pakistan Railways and Pakistan Army are also appearing in the race.
The officials and workers of the SSGC's Khadeji Camp, Projects and Construction base camp situated at 35 km from Karachi cheered the riders as they passed along the route during the first stage of the event. Along the route, from the Mazar-e-Quaid to Toll Plaza, SSGC has also placed welcome banners.
While Bank Al-Falah is the lead sponsor, Aqua-Fina, Avari Hotels, Askari Commercial Bank, AKD Securities, ENI, Orient Petroleum, Mosley, Mobilink, OMV, PIA are the other sponsors of the race.
Speaking on the occasion, Qamar Mansoor, provincial Minister for Sports hoped that the 13th Tour de Pakistan Cycling Race which is fashioned along the lines of the Tour-de-France will set a new standard for a sporting event held on a national scale and will open up the cities, towns and villages of Pakistan to the cyclists, particularly those who have travelled from overseas to participate in this exciting event, the statement added.
While lauding the PCF and co-organiser SSGC for their organisational skills and commitment for the promotion of cycling in Pakistan, Mansoor added that such a mega event that also features foreign cyclists will establish a positive impression about the country across Pakistan and facilitate in enhancing its soft image as envisioned by President Pervez Musharraf.
Qamar Mansoor said that the need of the hour is to constantly promote the competitive sport of cycling in Pakistan and raise its standards to that of cricket in Pakistan. He hoped that Karachi would have its own velodrome in a not-so-distant future which would help cycling to flourish.
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