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| Sunday, 5 December 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Big money for Tour de Lanka winners by Leslie Fernando The Tour de Lanka, the oldest and the biggest cycling classic with foreign and local riders in the fray will be flagged off on December 7 from opposite the Lake House at 7.00 a.m. The foreign riders at the Tour-de-Lanka will be from: Netherlands (Team Global Wieler-Sp) - Jos Kaal, Alexander Van Bavel, Lex Nederlof, Frank Terwel, Malaysia - Ahmad Fallanie Ali, Zainur B Zain, Thailand (Chenburi) - Teera Nimtien, Korakoch Rittiman, Pamorn Ruengsook, Vasimon Rattanasombat (woman), Kijsana Ruengsook (woman), Euro Union: (Marco Polo) - Anno Pederson, Neequaye Dsane, Chi Yin Leung, Remko Kramer, Mongolia - Ulzii-Orshik Jamsran, Naranbat Ariunbold, Davaatogtokh Tumenulzii, Javkhlantur Damdinsuren, Purevsuren Khuyagt, England -NSteven Richards, Warren Jesse. The Interim Committee for cycling in Sri Lanka will also conduct a prologue time trial for the first time at the Tour de Lanka on December 5 from Panadura to Moratuwa, a distance of five kilometres at 8.42 a.m. Then on December 6 will be a rest day. The race proper will start on December 7. This prestigious event is organised by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) and conducted by the Interim Committee for Cycling (ICC) in Sri Lanka in collaboration of the Sri Lanka Police. Tour de Lanka is co-sponsored by the National Savings Bank, DSI Samson Group, Holcim and Sign Tech Advertising Limited. In addition, ITN and 'Lakhanda' Radio will be the official electronic media sponsors. The event which has been revived after a lapse of eight years is organised to coincide with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's tenth anniversary in office as President. The Tour de Lanka has also been organised to coincide with the 'Nilwala Harasara' a concept initiated by the Minister of Media and Information Mangala Samaraweera. 'Tour' 2004 will be conducted under the rules and regulations of the Union Cyclists International (UCI) based in Switzerland and the cycling rules of the ICC of Sri Lanka. The prologue time trial is an international rule approved by the UCI and this will determine the position of each cyclist for the starting list on December 7. The winner of the prologue time trial will wear the yellow jersey and the overall leader after each stage will follow same. The race will be conducted in six stages with the first stage (race proper) to start opposite Lake House on December 7 to Anuradhapura. The second stage will be on December 8 from Anuradhapura to Trincomalee. The third stage will be on December 9 from Trincomalee to Kandy. However, the starting point for the third stage will be from opposite Kantale clock tower. The riders will experience a novel form of competition during the fourth stage on December 10 where the cyclists will be involved in circuit race round the Kandy Lake and Mahamaya College for a distance of 63 kilometres. On the following day December 11, the competitors will ride from Kandy to Ratnapura to finish the fifth stage. The riders and their cycles will then be transported from Ratnapura to Colombo before the start of the final stage on December 12 from opposite the Lake House and will end at Matara opposite clock tower. There will also be a Standard Race for men while a Standard Race for women too to be worked off on December 12. The total prize money for the Tour de Lanka winner, 1st to 25th place Rs. 432,000. The prize money for all six stages Rs. 199,500. Cash prizes for sprint and hill climb Rs. 57,500. The prize money for Nilwala Savariya Standard Men's Race and Ladies Standard Race Rs. 161,000. The race officials for Tour de Lanka are - Panel of Commissaries; N. Karunaratne, Chief Commissar- (UCI International Commissar), M. U. Dharmasena-Continental Commissar, Wing Commander Suresh Fernando-National Commissar. Assistant Commissaries-Nilantha Fernando, Ushan Kodagoda, A. Kumar Perera, Nandana Bandara, Upul Chandana, K. G. A. Pathmalal, D. U. K. Gurunada, K. Kumara Silva, Priyantha Perera, Sunil Dissanayake, Siri Shantha, Senarath Bandara, Dayananda Jayasekera, G. M. Anurasinghe, Mahesh Priyadarshana. |
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