Tour de Khyber National Cycle Race kicks off

PESHAWAR: The two-day thrilling Tour-de Khyber National Cycle Race kicked off from the historic Bab-e-Khyber on Monday.

Organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority, Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Association (KPCA) and Frontier Corps (North), Pak Army, the activity was aimed at promoting tourism and sports activities in the merged districts.

Member Provincial Assembly Shafiq Sher Afridi, KPCTA Project Director for Merged Districts, Ishtiaq Khan and organising secretary Nisar Ahmad, PCF President Syed Azhar Ali Shah inaugurated the event.

The spectacular race started from the historic Bab-e-Khyber and culminated at Hamza Baba Chowk in Landikotal. A total of 55 cyclists from Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and from elsewhere participated in the event.

In the first phase, the racers covered a 39-kilometre distance from Bab-e-Khyber to Hamza Baba Chowk in Landikotal. Yousaf from KP grabbed the first position, who covered the track in 1:02-32 hours, while Atif Khan from Balochistan stood second after he covered the track in 1:05:09 hours. Similarly, Mohsin Khan from KP clinched third position by covering the 39-kilometre track in 1:05:10 hours.

According to preliminary results, the KP team stood first while the Balochistan team placed in second place at the end of the first phase.Speaking on the occasion, lawmaker Shafiq Sher Afridi and KPCTA Project Director for Merged Districts Ishtiaq Khan said that peace had been restored in the merged districts and now the time had come to promote tourism and sports activities in the erstwhile Fata.

The officials said cyclists from across the country were participating in the event to introduce the tribal district as a tourism attraction to domestic and foreign tourists. They said that the event was aimed at promoting tourism, sports and local culture and attracting the tourists to the scenic places in merged districts as well. The officials said that tourism, sports and other healthy activities would be launched in the merged districts soon.

The second phase will be held in the scenic Tirah Valley today. The cyclists would cover a distance of 27-kilometre track while the race will conclude at Dwa Toai in Tirah Valley. The concluding ceremony of the race will be held at Bagh in Maidan Sports Complex.