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| Sunday, 28 November 2004 |
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Fifteen foreigners in 'Big Tour' by Leslie Fernando All teams have begun training on the 915-kilometre prestigious cycling classic-the much looked forward to event to cyclists and cycling fans in the country, 'Tour de Lanka' 2004 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 revived after a lapse of eight years, the last being held in 1996. The event will be worked off in six different stages from December 5 to 12. December 5 will be time-trial from Panadura to Moratuwa a distance of five kilometres at 8.45 a.m. Then December 6th will be a rest day. The race proper will start on December 7. Cyclists from Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Air Force and Police with experienced riders in their ranks are sure to offer stiff opposition to other team riders. It will be interesting to see how the local riders would fare with foreign riders from Holland, Thailand, Malaysia and Mongolia. According to Sanjaya Muttiah, the chief co-ordinator for Tour de Lanka, 15 foreign riders will participate in this event and they will be riding as 'All-Comers' and will also be eligible for special trophies and cash awards. N. Karunaratne, Chairman of the Technical Committee Interim Committee for Cycling told the Sunday Observer the 915-kilometre route has been examined and 'okayed' by the Organising Committee. Karunaratne added that the event will be under the rules of Union Cycling International (UCI) together with the rules and regulations of ICC. The members of the Commissaire Panel have been selected and their names have been approved by the DIG K. P. R. Pathirana, the Chairman of the ICC. Karunaratne was an undergraduate (1981-1985) of the University of Peradeniya and has performed well in the Tour de Lanka races. From 1988, he has participated in CFSL activities as Council Member and finally became the President of the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka from 1998 to 2001. He has been in Commissaire Panel at several international cycling events. Presently he is Depot Superintendent at the Petroleum Corporation, Anuradhapura. He is also the President of the District Cycling Association, Anuradhapura. 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 riders will have a 'break' of two hours at Dambulla, having covered a distance of 177 kilometres. The riders then take off from Dambulla at 3.00 p.m. after a break of two hours and will proceed to Anuradhapura, covering a further distance of 68 kilometres. The second stage will be on December 8 from Anuradhapura to Trincomalee starting at 8.00 a.m. The riders will proceed along Habarana, Maradankadawela, Kantale, covering a distance of 161 kilometres. The third stage will be on December 9 from Trincomalee to Kandy via Dambulla and Matale. However, the starting point for the third stage will be from opposite Kantale clock tower at 10.00 a.m. The competitors will proceed along Dambulla, Naula, Matale and reach Kandy, covering a distance of 149 kilometres. 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 cover a further 138 kilometres before finishing the fifth stage at Ratnapura. The riders and their cycles will then be transported from Ratnapura to Colombo before the start of the final stage on December from opposite the Lake House and will end at Matara opposite clock tower, covering a distance of 159.6 kilometres. |
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