Qureshi said cycling was quite popular in cities like Lahore and Karachi but due to lack of infrastructure, Pakistani cyclists had not made much headway at the international level. -APP/File Photo

This was stated by Muhammad Junaid Qureshi, President of Pakistan Railways Sports Board (PRSB), who acted as the chief guest when the 58th National Cycling Championship startd at Cycling Velodrome near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday.

PRSB is hosting the 9-team event until 28 September 2010 with the coordination of Pakistan Cycling Federation. All the affiliated units of the federation i.e. Army, Railways, Wapda, Sui Southern Gas Company and all the four provinces including FATA will appear in the four-day show.

Qureshi said cycling was quite popular in cities like Lahore and Karachi but  due to lack of infrastructure, Pakistani cyclists had not made much headway at the international level.

He called the annual Tour de Pakistan a truly riveting mega-event marked by some fantastic cycling. He congratulated Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF)'s President Nouraiz Shakoor Khan and Secretary General Idris Haider Khawaja for playing an instrumental role in revitalizing cycling as a sport in Pakistan.

“Pakistan only has one Velodrome in the Gulberg area of Lahore which was built in the fifties. Any decision to build more cycling arenas will infuse a new spirit among the cyclists it will help the sport develop.” said Qureshi.

He added that if Pakistan wanted to bring laurels in cycling then at least one velodrome should be constructed in each province. - PPI