KARACHI, March 15: Matthew Usborne won the 153-km 10th stage from Gujrat-to-Rawalpindi in the 13th Tour-de-Pakistan Cycle Race with another fantastic display of cycling.

Usborne who led the main pack in a sprint to the line finished 8 seconds ahead of yesterday’s winner Robin Read of New Zealand. Usborne who completed the job in 4 hours, 12 minutes and 50 seconds had won the 7th stage on the 11th of March, 2007. Kiwi Justin Kerr was the third to cross the line at 4 hours, 13 minutes and 2 seconds.

The winner of 6th stage, Sudeera Nilanga of Sri Lanka and SSGC’s Imran Sharif was fourth and fifth respectively at 4 hours, 13 minutes and 2 seconds while WAPDA’s Zahid Gulfam finished off sixth more than five minutes later.

At the finish point, Raja Javed Ikhlas, District Nazim and Raja Hamid Nawaz, Tehsil Nazim of Gujrat District and hundreds of cycling enthusiastically welcomed the riders as did hundreds of citizens of Rawalpindi who showered rose petals on the cyclists. All the six winners were presented with cash awards and other presents and souvenirs at a special ceremony.

Tomorrow is the last day of the highly intense racing contest. Starting from Karachi’s Mazar-e-Quaid on March 4, the cyclists have been covering a gruelling distance of 1,648 km with the 11th and last stage terminating in Peshawar along the main G.T. Road.