MANSEHRA, Sept 18: The UK emerged as the overall winner of the three-day Himalayas International Mountain Bike Race the third and final leg of which was held on Sunday amid minor injuries to several cyclists, as the area received hailstorm and heavy rains during the race from Kawai to Siri Paye in Kaghan Valley.

The cyclists covered 30km distance from Kaghan Memorial Trust, Kawai, to Siri Paye, in the final leg of the race. In the men's event, Martin Haring of Slovakia continued his supremacy and also won the third leg, covering the 30km distance in one hour, 36 minutes and five seconds.

Mr Haring was declared as the winner of the men's event of the race.

Eight teams took part in the race held from Sept 16 to 18 in Kaghan Valley.

As a whole, the UK cyclists clinched the first spot, Slovakia second, Eurasia third, World United forth, Denmark fifth, Holland sixth, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa seventh and Pakistan eight.

In the third leg of men's event, Nathan Matt Page of UK got second place after covering the 30km distance in one hour, 46 minutes and 15 seconds, and Nathan Dahlberg of New Zealand third spot with his timings of one hour, 48 minutes and 13 seconds.

In the women's event, Mel Alexander of UK landed top honours by clocking eight hours, 26 minutes and 52 seconds for the entire distance of 136km of the three-day race in the valley.

In the final leg of women's event, Rickie Cotter of UK covered the distance in two hours, two minutes and seven seconds to clinch first spot. Lisa Pleyer of Austria stood second with two hours, 13 minutes and 26 seconds and Stafi of Germany third with two hours, 16 minutes and 28 seconds in the 30km race.

The prize distribution ceremony was planned later in the evening in the Kawai resorts with a dinner for the cyclists and organisers hosted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah.

Talking to this correspondent, the sports minister said that holding of such international events should serve as clear indication that peace had returned to the province.

He praised the Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for holding such a big event that also attracted international teams.

“The winner will receive Rs2 million. We are so excited over the success of the race and plan to invite more teams for such events in the years to come,” he said.

Mr Shah said that the government was committed to promotion of sports with a view to defeat terrorism. He said that the presence of a large number of spectators from all over the country showed that people of Pakistan loved to watch sports.

He said that the government had planned a series of sports events to provide entertainment to the people.