"The number of participants has increased significantly as compared to that in TdCC 2017. Now, 20 overseas teams from 15 countries and five national teams have registered. This number is final, and it will not be increased anymore," TDCC II Race Director Dr Hasan remarked in Palu recently.
According to Hasan, each team will send five riders and three companions.
During a technical explanation on the implementation of the TdCC II to the participants of the committee meeting in the field of communication and publication, Hasan noted that TdCC II will be quite popular with world riders, as it has been registered in the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI).
In addition, the available bonus value prepared for outstanding riders is increasingly attractive.
Originally, TdCC II was set to accommodate only 20 teams, but the governor of Central Sulawesi gave approval to increase to 25 teams, of which five teams are from within the country since there are several world teams registering.
Australia, Mongolia, Malaysia, Canada, the Philippines, Iran, Belgium, Thailand, Poland, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, China, Columbia, France, and the United States will send their teams to the TdCC II.
The national teams that have been recorded are PGN, ACC, KFC, BRCC/UBK, and the Primary Indonesia national team.
Based on the results of the latest survey by the technical team from UCI, PB ISSI, and the TdCC committee, the total length of the route is 760 kilometers.
If we read the figure 7 as Ja and 60 as Go, then the 760-km route of the TdCC II this time is read "Rute Jago, or Great Route," according to Hasan.
He said the route deserves to be called "Jago," as all segments require dexterity, agility, precision, courage, and accurate strategies from all teams to be the best.
This route extends from Luwuk City, Banggai Regency, to Palu City by crossing Tojo Unauna, Poso, Parigi Moutong, Sigi, and Donggala districts, and is divided into five stages, where all the starting and finishing points are leading to tourist locations in each region.
In the five stages, five points have been established as "King of Mountain" (KoM) points where the riders will compete in strength and endurance, while 15 other points for sprinters or speed riders.
With so many KOM points and sprint points, the opportunity for riders to win bonuses is far greater than in the TdCC 2017.
"In the 2018 TdCC, the riders will compete for the bonus, with a total value of Rp1.2 billion, more than double the TdCC 2017, which was only Rp580 million," Hasan noted at the meeting attended by Head of the Central Sulawesi Communication and Information Office Muh Nizam, Head of Tourism Office I Nyoman Sariadijaya, and Chairman of the TdCC Committee Secretariat Muchsin Pakaya.
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Reporting by Rolex Malalha
Editing by Otniel Tamindael
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
