Cycling race gets P200,000 boost
Calistus Kolantsho | Thursday May 7, 2015 14:32
Tsela Riders host the competition in association with Botswana Cycling Association (BCA). Announcing the sponsorship yesterday, Builders World director, Imrann Sardar said the sponsorship figure is unchanged from last year.
He said the first edition of the race attracted attention from local and international cyclists.
The three-day stage starts from May 29 to 31, but not before the time trial this Friday.
Here, the cyclists will compete over one-lap four-kilometre circuit starting at the Three Chiefs statue at the new CBD.
The 70km road race would follow, starting in Boatle to Mmankgodi.
In the afternoon, there would be a one-hour circuit race at the Gaborone CBD, followed by a 109 kilometres road on the final day starting and finishing at Grand Palm.
Sunday events would include fun rides, children’s ride, 20km beginners’ race and a 60km race.
Tsela Riders chairperson, Game Mompe said the race has attracted riders from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
She said the winner of the race in the men’s section will walk away with P4,000, second prize is P2,500, third prize is P1,500 while riders who arrive fourth and fifth will respectively pocket P1,250 and P1,000 each.
The leader of the race will wear a yellow jersey depending on their time while the green jersey will be given to a rider with the best points while the polka dotted jersey will be given to the first rider to arrive on top of the Taung hill.
The winner in the women’s section will pocket P3,500 with the second prize being P2,500 and the second runner-up walking away with P1,500.
The rider who finishes fourth will take home P1,250 while position five has a cash prize of P1,000.
The juniors aged between 17 and 22 years will win P2,000 for first position, P1, 500 for second position while third prize will be P1, 000. Number four and five will receive P750 and P500 respectively.
“The maximum number of cyclists we are targeting is 200. Last year, we had 90 riders excluding fun riders,” she said.
Mompe added that the focus of the event is to promote cycling in the country.