Sujith Silva wins first stage

Bernard Perera in Dambulla

CYCLING: Sujith Silva of the Air Force won the first stage of the Air Force Cycle Tour which finished at Dambulla yesterday. The tour which coincides with Sri Lanka Air Force 56th anniversary commenced at 7.30 a.m. opposite Air Force Headquarters.

Meemanage Perera Sri Lanka Army and A. S. Kumara were placed second and third respectively. Sujith clocks a time of 4 hrs 45.16 secs to complete the event. The race proper which began at 8.55 am from Kadawatha saw the riders move in a bunch upto Warakapola from where four riders broke off and kept on moving ahead of the others.

The second bunch once again broke off on reaching Mawanella. Thereafter the riders broke off to different batches.

Meemanage Perera was in the second bunch nearly a kilometre behind the leaders soon after covering the Kadugannawa. Meemanage with two other joined the leaders. At Matale all five riders were engaged in a keen tussle which produced a good timing for this 186 kilometre ride.

At the finish all five riders clocked the same time. Second bunch consisting of five riders reached the finish tine 1.46.16 later, while the other riders followed in four batches.