Gambia to host International Cycling Grand Prize Competition

The Gambia Cycling Association will next month host the International Cycling Grand Prize competition known as Tour de Senegal.

The Gambia Cycling Association's Public Relations Officer Edrisa Sah said this year's Tour de Senegal will be organised by the Union of Cycling Confederation (UCI) and the Confederation of African Cycling (CAC) of which The Gambia is a member.

Sah stated that as a demonstration of solidarity, friendliness and brotherhood, the Senegalese Cycling Federation, in collaboration with The Gambia, will host the two-day international event in Banjul.

He pointed out that The Gambia will be the first English-speaking country to take part in the competition, which will commence from 6 to18 October 2010.

Of the nine-day championship event, The Gambia will serve as host for two days (7 and 8 October 2010) and 31countries across the world have been invited targeting 180 participants.

"The commissioner of the event is coming from Italy, as the UCI representative, to conduct and direct the tour," Edrisa informed Pointsport yesterday.

According to PRO Sah, six Gambian cyclists from the national team will feature in the international grand prize competition.

The first stage of the competition will start at the Arch 22 in Banjul, where the 180 participants will take off to go through Sinting Corner to Senegambia via Brufut junction, to Tanji, Gunjur and Brikama and then back to Banjul.

The second stage, to be held on 8 October, will also start at the Arch 22 in Banjul and proceed to Kanilai, where all the participants will converge on the very day before taking off for Banjul.