Lee (right) and the organising partners giving the thumbs-up after officiating on the race route of the inaugural Tour of Sarawak 2016 cycling race.
MIRI: The Resort City has been selected as the opening host for the inaugural international Tour of Sarawak 2016 cycling race scheduled for next Jan 13-17, which is billed as a grand tour of the picturesque countryside.
Forecasting the event as bigtime sports tourism, Assistant Minister of Sports Datuk Lee Kim Shin said the concept of the cycling event is similar with the multiple stage Le Tour de Langkawi cycle race in Langkawi with roving TV telecast.
“Endorsed by the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Youth and Sports, the inaugural Tour of Sarawak is expected to feature an international cast with cyclists from 20 countries such as Great Britain, Japan, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong and many others.
“This event is expected to mark a historic moment in Sarawak’s cycling history as a sustainable international cycling event,” he stated to media in a press conference after officiating at the announcement of the Tour of Sarawak 2016 route at Imperial Hotel here on Thursday.
Slated as an International Cycling Union (UCI) 2.2 status of five-stage race, Lee who is also Senadin assemblyman, pointed out that the inaugural tour will take an expected international field of competitors through a gruelling route covering a total of 756.2 km from the start of the opening stage in Miri to the grand finish at state capital Kuching on Jan 17.
He also disclosed the team of partners and organisers involved in this international cycling event, namely Rakan BestNye Sarawak and Ryzam Southern Sdn Bhd which have already laying the groundwork to make it truly a ‘Race Close To Nature’.
He added the race will have its pre-event festivities and ceremonial start of the first stage in the bustling and dynamic city of Miri.
“We know sports tourism is the next big thing. We anticipate that there will be many sports tourists and journalists visiting Sarawak during this period.
“It will indeed add more economic impact for Sarawak. We thank the organisers and UCI for giving Sarawak this chance.”
On the race route, the event will kick off it first leg on Jan 13 with a tough challenge from Miri to Bintulu which involves some 193 km.
On the next day, the cyclists will cover an even further distance of 215 km from Bintulu to Sibu.
There will be some respite from the gruelling long stages with a shorter 120.8 k in Stage Three from Sarikei to Betong.
The penultimate Stage Four will cover 128.6 km from Sri Aman to Serian, before the final stage from Serian to Kuching of just 98.8 km with an explosive bunch sprint finish a likely to end to Sarawak’s first international class cycling race.
Also present at the grand launch were chairman of Rakan BestNye Sarawak Audie Chua and event consultant Nik Badrul Hisham Nik Aziz.