LAHORE, Nov 1: Eight teams from all over Pakistan will take part in the 51st Quaid-i-Azam national cycling championship at the velodrome near the Gaddafi Stadium from Nov 5 to 10.

Four teams of the provinces and four of the units affiliated with the Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) are participating.

Addressing a press conference, the PCF secretary Idrees Haider Khawaja said that for the first time four ladies teams from Punjab, NWFP, Army and WAPDA were also taking part in  the championship. Azra Perveen will be  their co-ordinator. The ladies will be given medals but will not be awarded points. He said that all arrangements for the championship  had been finalised. The teams would start arriving in Lahore within a couple of days.

Kamran Lashari said that the velodrome had also been renovated for  holding the national cycling championship in a befitting manner.

Various  committees  had  been set up for organising  the competition.

Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Director General, Brigadier Saulat Abbas will inaugurate the championship on November 5 at 3 pm.

Schedule:

Nov 5: One km Time Trial final (men) at 8 am.

One km Time Trial final (women) at 10 am.

200 metre Time Trial (flying) qualifying heats at 11:30 am.

Opening ceremony at 3 pm.

4km Team Pursuit qualifying round at 3:15 pm.

Nov 6: 100km Road Scratch Race from Harbanspura Canal Bridge at Jallo, Lahore at 9 am.

Nov 7: Sprint qualifying rounds and semi-finals at 8 am.

4km Individual Pursuit final at 3 pm.

3km Individual Pursuit final (women) at 4 pm.

Nov 8: 30km Individual Road Time Trial final (men) at 8 am.

15km Individual Road Time Trial final  (women)  from Harbanspura Canal Bridge Jallo, Lahore at 10 am.

Nov 9: 70km Road Team Time Trial final at Harbanspura Canal Bridge, Jallo, Lahore at 8 am.

Nov 10: One km sprint final at 2 pm.

4km Team Pursuit final at 3:30 pm.

Closing ceremony at 4 pm.