The Air Force as part of their 69th anniversary celebrations will conduct their 21st annual cycle race the ‘Guwan Hamuda Papedi Sawariya from March 5 to 7 where elite riders from all clubs affiliated to Sri Lanka Cycling Federation are eligible to compete according to the Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Sumangala Dias at a media briefing at the SLAF headquarters on Thursday.
The event will be run in three stages with the first stage from Colombo to Kandy, second from Kandy to Trincomalee and the final stage from Trincomalee to Anuradhapura.
The riders will cover a distance of 448 kms with the first stage covering 109 kms, second stage 199 kms and the final stage 136 kms.
The women’s race will be flagged off from Puttalam on March 7 where they have to complete 110 kms to finish at Anuradhapura.
Before finishing the three stages there will be nine sprint points and the Best Sprint Rider will be selected after the completion of these sprints.
Air Marshal Dias said that this is the longest surviving cycling event surpassing the former Lanka Savariya which was run for 20 years.
Soft Logic will be the sponsors which has enabled the Air Force Cycling Committee to increase the prize money for the winners.
The winners and runners-up are to receive Rs. 300,000, 200,000 and100,000 and the overall Sprint Champion is to receive Rs. 40,000 while the winners of each leg are to get cash prizes of Rs. 15,000, 10,000 and 5,000.
The Best Mountain Rider will be awarded Rs. 25,000 and the team Championship prizes will be Rs.150,000 and runner-up Rs.100,000 and the Overall Young Champion Rider to get Rs. 40,000.
The winner of the women’s race will be presented with Rs.100,000.