REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MATARAM -- The Tour de Lombok Mandalika 2017 cycling race is expected to promote the potential of sport tourism in West Nusa Tenggara Province, a local official said.
Governor of West Nusa Tenggara M. Zainul Majdi said after inaugurating the Tour de Lombok Mandalika here on Wednesday evening said that first international cycling race is one of the local administration's effort in exploring sport tourism segment in West Nusa Tenggara Province.
"Therefore, West Nusa Tenggara should enrich, create variations of tourism. It is not enough only by offering our natural beauty, but we have to explore more, including the potential of the sport tourism in the region," Governor Majdi said.
The governor said that West Nusa Tenggara Province offers various potentials of sport-based tourism through a number of sport events such as the Lombok Marathon, Sumbawa Ultra Run, Rinjani Ultra Run and this year's Tour de Lombok Mandalika.
As many as 15 international teams and four local teams are participating in the Tour de Lombok and Mandalika that will be held from 13-16 April 2017.
Tour de Lombok Mandalika has been classified by the Union Cycling International (UCI) as a 2.2 category race. The race comprises four stages totaling 485 km.
The first stage starts in Mataram and finishes in Kuta Beach covering a distance of 126 km with one sprints stage and three King of Mountain(KOM) stages. The second stage will cover 112.8 km from Bangsal Harbour to Senaru with three sprint stages and two KOM stages.
Meanwhile, the third stage will start from Kuta Beach to Sembalun covering 134 km with three sprint stages and three KOM stages. The race will be concluded by a circuit city race on the fourth day in Mataram with three sprint stages.
Vice President of the Indonesian Cycling Federation M. Benny Subagia hoped that the Tour de Lombok Mandalika could grow into a much larger international event in the next years and invite as well as inspire more local riders.
The organizers of Tour de Lombok and Mandalika provided a total prize of Rp800 million for the winners.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika