LAHORE, Jan 28: The 52nd National Cycling Championship and the 11th NBP Tour de Pakistan Race are two major events which will be held in February and March.

Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) secretary, Khawaja Idrees Haider, pointed out that leading teams both from different departments as well as the provinces, will participate in the national competition which will start from Saturday, at the National Velodrome.

Wapda are the defending champions. In all, 48 cyclists will compete in eight different races as each team will field six cyclists, apiece.

Ashiq Hussain Bhatti has been named as organising secretary of the national championship.

The twice postponed 11th NBP Tour de Pakistan , with a cash prize of Rs 100,000 will be held from March 23 to April 4.

The race will start from the Quaid’s mausoleum on March 23 for the first stage of 205 kilometres from Karachi to Hyderabad.

After covering a total distance of 1934 kilometres through 11 stages the race will end at the Bab-e-Khyber, Peshawar on April 4.

The winners will get Rs 50,000, the runner-up Rs 25,000, the third  and fourth position holders Rs 15,000 and  10,000.

Similarly, the cyclist finishing at the fifth and sixth position will be honoured with a cash prize of Rs 5000 each. Haroon Rashid of Wapda will defend his title.

He stated that invitations had been sent to 14 countries to take part in the race, but none of them had confirmed their participation, citing political and security concerns.

Clarifying a point, Khwaja said the race was not passing through Balochistan because road conditions were not conducive, as accidents had occurred in the past.

He denied the impression that the dates of the race were clashing with the ninth SAF Games to be held in Islamabad from March 29 to April 7.

Schedule of races:

National championship:

Feb 1: One kms Time Trial.

Feb 2: Four kms individual pursuit (two cyclists each unit).

Feb 3: 1000m sprint.

Feb 4: 42 kms Individual Road Time Trial (two cyclists each unit). From Harbanspura Canal Bridge-Jallo More-Harbanspura Canal Bridge.

Feb 5: 70 kms Road Scratch Race (six cyclists from each unit). Harbanspura Canal Bridge-Jallo More-Harbanspura Canal Bridge.

Four kms Team Pursuit.

Elimination Race.

Olympic Sprint.

TOUR de PAKISTAN RACE:

March 23: Karachi to Hyderabad (205 kms).

March 24: Hyderabad to Moro (178 kms).

March 25: Moro to Sukkur (177 kms).

March 26: Sukkur to Rahim Yar Khan (180 kms).

March 28: Rahim Yar Khan to Bahawalpur (210 kms).

March 29: Bahawalpur to Multan (110 kms).

March 30: Multan to Sahiwal (188 kms).

March 31: Sahiwal to Lahore (200 kms).

April 2: Lahore to Gujrat (130 kms).

April 3: Gujrat to Rawalpindi (180 kms).

April 4: Rawalpindi to Peshawar (176 kms).