The 16th edition of the Tour de Pakistan cycle race kicked off from Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum at 9:00 am on Tuesday. 16th Tour de Pakistan Cycle Race kicks off A total of 58 riders from 10 countries including Afghanistan are taking part in this 11-stage race. The race will be finished in Abbotabad on March 20 after 1620 kilometers long journey throughout Pakistan.
Five Afghan cyclists are taking part in the race which was skipped by India after it confirmed the inclusion of six of its cyclists, Secretary Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF), Khwaja Idrees told The Sports Encounter.
Due to security reasons, another country Seychelles Republic also refrained from sending its six cyclists to Pakistan. Chief guest on the occasion was Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah, Sindh Sports Minister who official started the 16th Tour de Pakistan cycle race.
The top riders will get a handsome prize money of 10000 US dollars this year, Idress Khawaja told TSE correspondent. The eleven stages of the Tour de Pakistan cycle race include Karachi to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Moro, Moro to Sukkur, Sukkur to Rahim Yar Khan, Rahim Yar Khan to Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur to Multan, Multan to Sahiwal, Sahiwal to Lahore, Lahore to Gujrat, Gujrat to Rawalpindi, and Rawalpindi to Abbottabad.
The race would end at Abbottabad instead of Peshawar in a bid to avoid any untoward incident during the race as the South Asian country is struggling with a severe security situation. In Breaking News, Cycling, Featured, News Categories Tags: Cycle Race, Cycling News, Karachi, Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum, Sports news, Tour de Pakistan, Tour de Pakistan News