Mahapola City LinkCycle tour today

Chinthana WASALA

The Mahapola 'City Link' cycle tour, which offers the biggest prize money for the winning team at a local cycling event, will start this morning in front of the Lalith Athulathmudali statue at Ratmalana.

The cycling event, which will see all the top ranked cyclists in Sri Lanka taking part, will head towards Galle where the first stage ends. The first stage of the race will cover 102.2 km and the second phase which starts from Galle tomorrow and end at Ruhunu Wijayaba Vidyalaya, Beliatta which hosts the Mahapola educational and trade fair covering 154.5 km.

"People will be able to witness a fast race as the track is flat and good for cycling, while we expect the cyclists to finish the first stage in around two and half hours," stated General Secretary, Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka, Nishantha Piyasena.

The event is sponsored by Sri Lanka Telecom and the team winners will receive a Rs. 120,000, while the individual winners will also receive valuable cash awards along with 10 consolation prizes.

The cycling tour is organized by the 'Tharunyata Hetak Foundation' and the Ministry of Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Affairs and conducted by the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka and Ministry of Sports.