GILGIT: Najibullah of Wapda also won the second stage of the ‘Tour de Khunjerab 2019’ cycle race on Friday.

One hundred and thirty-eight contestants from 13 teams, including foreigners, started their journey on the second leg of the race from Rakaposhi base camp in Nagar via the Karakoram Highway on Friday morning and reached the destination point at Karimabad in Hunza.

According to GB tourism department officials, Najibullah from Wapda again stood first.

The winner of the second stage travelled the distance in one hour, 19 minutes and 37 seconds.

The Wapda team already won the first stage of the competition on Thursday.

Abdul Razaq from SSGC got second position as he crossed the distance in one hour, 19 minutes and 47 seconds.

A cyclist, Hanzala from Balochistan secured the third spot, travelling the distance in one hour, 21 minutes and 14 seconds.

The third stage of the race will start from Karimabad to Sost on Saturday (today).

Cyclists from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iran and Switzerland are also participating in the race.

The Tour de Khunjerab cycle race will culminate at Khunjerab pass, the highest border between Pakistan and China, on Sunday.

The Gilgit-Baltistan tourist police are escorting the cyclists on the KKH.

People carrying flowers and banners on both sides of the artery welcomed the cyclists on the route.

Earlier, a colourful traditional musical programme and prize distribution ceremony was arranged at Rakaposhi base camp in Nagar in honour of the cyclists on Thursday evening

GB minster for tourism Fida Khan, minister for works Mohammad Iqbal, Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly members, Javed Hussain and Rizwan Ali, a large number of foreign and national tourists were in attendance.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2019