Cycling: SL T-Cup gets underway

The T-Cup, Sri Lanka’s first UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) sanctioned cycling event, will begin today in Passikudah with the three-day race set to span the breadth of the country ending in the West Coast city of Negombo on Sunday 9 April.

The race is open to elite road cyclists with nearly 70 cyclists set to take part. The event will see six foreign outfits from Bangladesh, Holland, Malaysia, Philippines, Pakistan, and Singapore compete, while Sri Lanka will see representation from seven teams: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Dehiwela-Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council (DMMC), Sri Lanka Telecom, Sri Lankan Airlines, and Bianchi Cycles. 

Lanka Sportreizen, the travel agency whose support has played a major role in the growth of the Colombo Marathon, is organising the event and hopes that the success of the event will lead to, in the next few years, recognition from the Asian Cycling Confederation and registration with the UCI as an annual event in its official cycling calendar.

The T-Cup will be adjudicated by a panel of reputed UCI accredited international commissaires - a Sri Lankan first - with the blessings of the Ministry of Sports and the support of the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Police meanwhile will ensure traffic is controlled so as to cause minimal inconvenience to motorists.

The race will commence from the Passi Villas Hotel in Passikudah at 9am today and will run through to Mahiyanganaya on Day 1, Kandy on Day 2, and finally to the finish line in Negombo on Day 3. Rs. 3 million ($ 20,000) total prize money will be on offer, with those placed from 1st to 20th being awarded.