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Chris Dhambarage reporting from Matara

Foreign riders made a clean sweep at the Tour de Lanka cycling classic with Alexandera van Bavel from Holland representing the Global Wheelers Sports Club emerging as the overall winner in the race which was concluded opposite the Uyanwatte Stadium in Matara yesterday.

Van Bavel finished the course of 851 kilo metres with a timing of 21 hours, 27 minutes and 37 seconds while maintaining an average speed of 40.52 kilo metres per hour. He was placed eleventh in the final stage from Colombo to Matara but his excellent performances during the first three stages helped him to win the overall championship.

LANKA’S BEST: Maddumage Kapila of the Sri Lanka Army who was the best placed amongst the Sri Lankan riders (4th) receives his award from Media and Information Minister Mangala Samaraweera.

The Tour de Lanka which was revived after a lapse of eight years was organised by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) and conducted by the Interim Committee for Cycling in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Police.

This prestigious event was co sponsored by the National Savings Bank (NSB), Holcim, DSI Samson Group and Sign Tech Advertising Services Limited with the Independent Television Network (ITN) and Lakhanda Radio as the official electronic media sponsor.

It was organised to coincide with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's tenth anniversary in office as President and also to coincide with the 'Nilwala Harasara' a concept initiated by the Minister of Media and Information Mangala Samaraweera.

OVERALL WINNER:Alexandera van Bavel of Netherlands, the overall winner of the 2004 Tour de Lanka cycle classic receives his award from Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd chairman Janadasa Peiris at the Uyanwatte Stadium, Matara yesterday. Pix by Saman Mendisand Tilak Perera

Alexandera van Bavel's performance also helped his team the Global Wheelers Sports Club from Holland clinch the team championship at the race. He did not win any of the earlier stages but he was quite consistent throughout the race riding with a great amount of courage and determination.

Neequaye Dsane from the combined European Marco Polo team had the honour of winning the final stage from Colombo to Matara covering the distance of 159 kilo metres with a timing of three hours, 53 minutes and 57 seconds. He produced a superb effort during the last 50 metres to break off from a host of riders and finish the race completely unchallenged.

The best effort among the local competitors came from Maddumage Kapila of Sri Lanka Army 'A' team who was placed fourth in the overall championship and his teammate Meemnage Perera who took the sixth place in the final standings. In addition Thilanga Silva also from the Sri Lanka Army 'A' team came fourth during the final stage which was a creditable achievement.

Meanwhile Saman Kumara won the men's standard race held from Colombo to Matara clocking four hours, 08 minutes and 38 seconds out of a total of 243 competitors. He was closely followed by Rumesh Cooray and Niranjan Fernando with both returning the identical timing of four hours, 08 minutes and 38 seconds.

Ayesha Sumanaweera, daughter of former Tour de Lanka winner A. M. Sumanaweera, won the women's race worked off from Ahangama to Matara covering a distance of 25 kilo metres. The 18 year old schoolgirl from Nivithigala Sumana BMV returned a timing of 56 minutes, 47. 01 seconds to finish ahead of U. D. Sriyalatha and Chandrika Malkanthi.

* The Tour de Lanka overall results:

(1) Alexandera van Bavel (Netherland) 21 hours, 27 minutes, 37 seconds

(2) Ulzii Orshikh Jamsran (Mongolia) 21 hours, 29 minutes, 46 seconds

(3) Franck Terwel (Netherland) 21 hours, 29 minutes, 50 seconds

(4) Maddumage Kapila (Sri Lanka Army A) 21 hours, 32 minutes 59 seconds

(5) Chi Yin Leung (Marco Polo) 21 hours, 33 minutes, 16 seconds

(6) Meemanage Perera (Sri Lanka Army A) 21 hours, 34 minutes, 39 minutes

(7) Jos Kaal (Netherland) 21 hours, 37 minutes, 21 minutes

(8) Navinda Kelum (Sri Lanka Army D) 21 hours, 37 minutes, 24 seconds

(9) S. K. Warnashantha (Sri Lanka Police A) 21 hours, 24 minutes, 35 seconds

(10) Anil Silva (Sri Lanka Air Force A) 21 hours, 24 minutes, 35 seconds

* The Tour de Lanka seventh stage winners from Colombo to Matara:

(1) Neequaye Dsane (Marco Polo) 3 hours, 53 minutes, 57 seconds

(2) Jos Kaal (Netherlands) 3 hours, 54 minutes, 06 seconds

(3) Anno Pederson (Marco Polo) 3 hours, 54 minutes, 06 seconds

(4) Thilanga Silva (Sri Lanka Army A) 3 hours, 54 minutes, 06 seconds

(5) Sarath Kumara (Sri Lanka Air Force A) 3 hours, 54 minutes, 06 seconds

(6) Suwaris Premachandra (Sri Lanka German Friendship Cycling Club) 3 hours, 54 minutes, 06 seconds

(7) Navinda Kelum (Sri Lanka Army 'D') 3 hours, 54 minutes, 06 seconds

(8) Gamini Amukotuwa (Sri Lanka Army 'C') 3 hours, 54 minutes, 06 seconds

(9) Davaatogtokh Tumenulzii (Mongolia) 3 hours, 54 mintes, 06 seconds

(10) Upul Lokuge (Paragon 'A') 3 hours, 54 minutes, 18 seconds

* The best overall sprinter of the Tour de Lanka:

(1) Chi Yin Leung (Marco Polo) - 23 points

(2) Ulzii Orshikh Jamsran (Mongolia) 19 poinys

(3) Gihan Shammika (Sri Lanka German Friendship Cycling Club) - 17 points.

* The top three in the Tour de Lanka standard race:

(1) Saman Kumara - 4 hours, 08 minutes, 38 seconds

(2) Rumesh Cooray - 4 hours, 08 minutes, 38 seconds

(3) Niranjan Fernando - 4 hours, 08 minutes, 38 seconds

* The Tour de Lanka women's race from Ahangama to Matara:

(1) Ayesha Sumanaweera (Ratnapura)

(2) U. D. Sriyalatha (Anuradhapura)

(3) Chandrika Malkanthi (Aralugamwila)

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