Riders participating in the Tour de Singkarak last week. The annual event will take place in September next year. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)
The organizers of the Tour de Singkarak have decided to move the annual cycle race in West Sumatra from its traditional June slot, to September from next year, in order to attract more top teams and riders.
Sapta Nirwandar, initiator and executive chairman of the event, said the decision was taken to avoid clashing with the calendar of the International Cycling Union (UCI) next year.
According to the this year’s calendar, there are three other events in Asia in June beside the Tour de Singkarak. They are the Tour de Kumano (May 29-June 1), the Tour de Korea (June 8-15), and the Tour de Iran (June 17-22).
“Tour de Singkarak has been receiving better global recognition and we want to see as many top riders as we can to take part in the event. It is just unfortunate the race is held too close to the other events. That’s why we decided to move it to September,” Sapta told reporters during the closing ceremony on Sunday.
This year’s schedule saw the Tour de Singkarak and the Tour de Korea held at the same time where Australia’s Avanti Racing Team sent two teams. The team’s sprinter Brenton Jones clinched a place on the Tour de Singkarak podium twice during the nine-day race, which took place from June 7-16.
The decision, however, brings another concern to the race as the rainy season starts in most part of Indonesia in September. But it’s unlikely to prevent riders from taking part in the tour.
Two-time champion Amir Zargari of Iran promised to return to West Sumatra with his team next year.
“I will come no matter what,” said the Iranian who claimed his second title in the weekend and helped his team Pishgaman Yazd won the team classification. “[To win this year] was our team goal to be here in the Tour de Singkarak because we had a good experience. It is my fourth time to be in Singkarak. I won in 2011. I know almost all of the routes and stages.”
The Iranian riders, including Zargari, were in a rush to leave as soon as possible after the awards ceremony of the last stage because they had to catch the flight back to Iran. They only had one day off before the start of the Tour de Iran.
The 2012 champion Oscar Pujol Munoz said he also would not mind following the organizers’ decision.
“I will still come,” said Munoz, who rode with SkyDive Dubai Pro Cycling Team and clinched the fifth-stage podium this year.
The decision, he added, would help to attract top riders to compete in the tour. SkyDive sent two different teams to the Singkarak and Iran events.
Local rider Dadi Suryadi also expressed his appreciation of the decision, saying the rainy season would not be a big problem for participating riders.
“Our biggest concern is the transfer from city to city that took too long. It was really exhausting. We also hope organizers would accommodate us in proper hotels, just like in Sawahlunto,” he said.
By Ami Afriatni on 08:31 pm Jun 17, 2014
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