Tour-de Galiyat begins today

PESHAWAR: Second Tour-de Galiyat National Cycling race gets underway here today. Oganised by the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Association (KPCA), Adviser to chief minister on tourism Abdul Munim will formally inaugurate the race at Hayatabad Sports Complex.

The team from Afghanistan is also participating in the mega cycling race event.

“Though it was a national event, the participation of Afghanistan has now made it an international tournament. The teams from various departments are taking part in the event,” Syed Azhar Ali Shah, Secretary General of Pakistan Cycling Federation, told reporters here.

The teams are from Wapda, Sui Southern Gas Company, Pak Army, Fata, Higher Education Commission as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Islamabad.The event will be in three phases as the cyclists will start from Peshawar to Islamabad, covering at least 178 km distance.

From Islamabad, the racers will leave for Abbottabad to cover 144km and then to Galiyat approximately 32km. Syed Azhar Ali Shah said the racers would also pass on 4000 feet height covered with snow.

Flanked by Afghanistan Cycling Federation (ACF) President Ustad Sadique Sadiqi, a woman coach of the country Sahar and KPCA President Nisar Ahmad, Syed Azhar Ali Shah said 100 cyclists were participating in the event.

The association general secretary said the race was not only to promote cycling and present a soft image of the country to entire world but also attract tourists to Pakistan, particularly the scenic Galiyat region.

Ustad Sadique and Sahar thanked Pakistan for inviting the Afghan team to the mega event. They said six players from the neighbouring country were participating in the tournament.