Seven foreign teams to join Tour d'Indonesia

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta

Seven foreign countries and territories will send teams to the inaugural Tour d'Indonesia in September, according to an official from the Indonesian Cycling Association (ISSI).

The race, which is scheduled to take place from Sept. 27 to Oct. 6, will cover a distance of 1,500 kilometers from Jakarta to Denpasar, Bali, with a total of US$100,000 up for grabs.

ISSI secretary-general Sofyan Ruzian said the foreign riders would come from Switzerland, Hong Kong, Egypt, Iran, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia and Thailand.

Three other countries -- New Zealand, Australia and the Netherlands -- are expected to confirm their participation later.

"Indonesia will field five teams, with riders to be selected based on their performances at the Tour de Sulawesi, which will be held from July 10 to July 15," Sofyan told The Jakarta Post from Semarang, Central Java, where organizers were inspecting a section of the race route.

The Tour d'Indonesia will take place over nine stages: Jakarta-Lembang (181 km), Bandung-Tasikmalaya (145 km), Tasikmalaya-Purwokerto (159 km), Semarang-Yogyakarta (180 km), Yogyakarta-Madiun (180 km), Madiun-Surabaya (234 km), Surabaya- Jember (180 km), Jember-Banyuwangi (109 km) and Gilimanuk- Denpasar (132 km).

The riders will be ferried from Banyuwangi on Java island to Gilimanuk in Bali. Riders will get a one-day break after the first four stages.