APD | Indonesia’s Bintan Island to host international cycling race

By APD writer Aditya Nugraha

JAKARTA, March 21 (APD) – Indonesia’s Bintan Island in Riau province is scheduled to host Tour de Bintan, an UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Gran Fondo race series, participated by some 1,200 cyclists from 42 countries and regions.

Routes of the sport tourism event slated for March 29 to 31 are designed to pass through beautiful natural spots in the resort island that is close to Singapore.

The annual cycling competition would be divided into several categories this year, comprised of 17 kilometer Individual Time Trial, 144 kilometer Classic Class, 82 kilometer Challenge Class, 111 kilometer Century Class and 55 kilometer Discovery Class.

Head of Bintan Tourism and Cultural office Wan Rudy said participants of Tour de Bintan have increased 36 percent compared to that of last year.

“From all of those cyclists 86 percent are foreign ones and the remaining 14 percent are domestic ones,” Rudy said recently.

This year the landmark cycling race of Tour de Bintan would enter its ninth times, which the last three races were credited as UCI Gran Fondo qualification series.

He expected the international cycling race would attract some 1,800 domestic and international spectators.

Indonesia Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said that Tour de Bintan would open series of international Sports tourism events hosted by Bintan Island this year.

“After the Tour de Bintan, there will be Bintan Triathlon in June, Ironman Bintan in August, Bintan Marathon in September, Bintan Golf Challenge in October and Bintan KasmaRun in December. All of those events have great potentialities to attract more foreign tourists,” the minister said.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)