Pak cyclists leave for Belgium World Championship

KARACHI: Pakistan cycling squad on Wednesday night was scheduled to fly out from here for Belgium to feature in the UCI Road Cycling World Championship 2021 which will be held from September 19 to 26.

It will be held in the northern region of Belgium. The region was chosen in light of the 100-year anniversary of the world championships with the UCI opting for a return to one of the original founding countries.

As many as four riders — two men and two women — from Pakistan will be part of the event. Ali Ilyas, Khalil Amjad, Kinza Malik and Asma Jan are set to feature in the global event. This will be the first time that female cyclists of Pakistan will be part of the global event.

The men will compete in individual time trial while women will compete in road race and individual time trial.

Shoaib Nizami is accompanying the side as coach cum manager while Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) president Azhar Ali Shah is going with the team as head delegate as he is to attend the world cycling governing body (UCI) Congress.

From this event the national riders will begin their quest for improving rakings in the lead up to the 2024 Paris Olympics. With the participation in the event they will come in the world's rankings.

Before the 2024 Paris Olympics, they will have to appear in three more World Championships, as many Asian Championships and other events to improve their rankings.

“Yes from here our riders will put themselves in the world rankings counting,” Shah told a news conference here on Wednesday.

“On the one hand people are destroying sports through politics while we are promoting our game.