REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG -- Cyclists from 25 countries have confirmed their participation in the Tour de Flores to be held on May 19-26, 2016, according to spokesman of the East Nusa Tenggara Tourism Department Wely Rohimone.
"More than 200 participants from 25 countries have confirmed their participation, and the number will probably increase," Rohimone remarked here on Monday.
According to the spokesman, the number of participants in the cycling event did not include the organizing committee members and others, reaching a total of some 300 people.
"The number of Tour de Flores participants, including the organizing committee members and others, will reach more than 500 people, who will start arriving in Flores on Monday," he noted.
The first stage of the international cycling event will be from Larantuka to Maumere, and the subsequent stages will be from Maumere to Ende, Ende to Bajawa, and Bajawa to Ruteng, to conclude at Labuan Bajo, after passing through nine districts in Flores Island.
Tour de Flores will comprise five stages and will cover a total distance of 615 kilometers in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara.
As the host of the first stage of Tour de Flores, the East Flores district government has made the necessary preparations related to the arrival of the participants and the flag-off event on May 16.
Kedang Ande, head of the Tourism Department of East Flores District, had earlier stated in the East Nusa Tenggara provincial city of Kupang that the event's participants will have the opportunity to visit several tourist attractions in Larantuka, Adonara, and Solor Island.