Tour De France Stage Winner in SL to “Race The Pearl”

Race The Pearl Director and Organiser Yasas Hewage flanked 

by Yellow Jersey Holder Belgian Jan Bakelants (second from right) 

and UCI Pro Race Winner Piotr Havik from the Netherlands (second from left) pose for the media at a briefing held at Jetwing Colombo 7 

– Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe

•  Prestigious Yellow Jersey Holder Belgian Jan Bakelants among dozen foreign riders including UCI Pro Race winner Piotr Havik from Netherlands and first Indian to complete ‘Race Across America’ Srinivas Gokulanathan for the 24-hour ultra-endurance bicycle challenge
•  Race spanning 600 km in Sri Lanka from Point Pedro to Dondra connecting 100 cities kicks off on Saturday
•  Event big boost for sports tourism; forum of experts call for more efforts to tap high potential in SL

By Divya Thotawatte

The 24-hour ultra-endurance international bicycle race, ‘Race The Pearl’ is back with a collective of riders from the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, India and Sri Lanka.

The Tour De France Stage Winner and Yellow Jersey Holder during 2013 Stages 2 and 3, Belgian Jan Bakelants, UCI Pro Race Winner Piotr Havik from the Netherlands, and Srinivas Gokulanathan who was the first Indian to complete Race Across America (RAAM), up the celebrity rider stakes in the race, which is now in its sixth edition.

There will also be female riders from India and Sri Lanka. Agnes Safford from the US, a finisher of RTC, will be riding for the fourth time this year.

An official qualifier for the globally renowned ultra-distance RAAM cycle race that covers 4,800 km in the US, Race The Pearl will have nearly 65 riders cycling from the northern tip of Point Pedro to the southern tip of Dondra Head in Sri Lanka. The 600 km route in Sri Lanka connects 100 cities and towns, as well as about 100,000 spectators along the route. It is one of the key high-octane ultra-distance road cycling races that RAAM organisers have selected to name as a qualifier. The race will be flagged off from Point Pedro in Jaffna at dawn on Saturday 28 October and finish at Dikwella 24 hours later, on 29 October.

Race The Pearl Director and Organiser Yasas Hewage said yesterday that 24 riders will be cycling continuously in pursuit of the RAAM qualification. “Some others will participate in a relay, racing in the five phases in groups or as individuals. Those who complete the race within the cut off time of 24 hours will get the prestigious Pearl Jersey, which sports a unique design inspired by Sri Lankan wildlife. 

Given that the route takes riders across both urban and rural terrain, riders also add value to rural economies with micro, small and medium establishments by engaging with business owners along the way and upskilling them with this interaction.

“It is an unbelievable experience to see an island like this from top to bottom in 24 hours,” he said. Cyclists can participate in the race individually or as a group, supported, with a vehicle behind them, or unsupported.

Hewage reiterated that Race The Pearl is the ideal brand marketing platform to promote sports tourism in Sri Lanka. “This race has continued uninterrupted during the last three years; the most challenging era for tourism. Having always attracted riders from around the world and being a RAAM qualifying race are amazing platforms for Sri Lanka’s niche tourism opportunities.”

Both Jan Bakelants and Piotr Havik said they are excited to be in Sri Lanka for the first time and look forward to an enduring yet exciting ride. 

The Race is organised by Spinner Cycling and partnered by Jetwing Hotels as Gold Sponsor. MAS Holdings innovated the Rider Jersey, Dikwella Hotel and Browns Hotel Group are the Finish Line Partner with Sol Fitness Resorts India connecting the two countries. Liv Foundation also joins in as a partner for international promotion of Sri Lanka and supporting Sri Lankan children. Media sponsors are Daily FT, YES FM and Pulse.

A sports tourism forum followed the media conference moderated by Daily FT Editor and CEO Nisthar Cassim, discussing the potential of promoting sports tourism as a key forex earner and a platform for local businesses to thrive. The panellists, RTP Organiser Yasas Hewage, Shenella Rodrigo and Shehaan Thahir of Assort Creative, Yeti Isotonic’s Nishelli Perera and Jetwing Hotels’ Dimitri Cooray were also of the view that Sri Lanka has the potential to be on the world tourism map as a hub for sports tourism.

‘Race The Pearl’ can be followed on www.racethepearl.com on Facebook and Instagram.