Prior to taking part in the event, the participants of Tour de Singkarak (TdS) will get an opportunity to boarding a tourist train locally called "Mak Itam" or old black locomotive train powered by coal, said Ampera Salim, public relations officer of Padangpanjang city administration here on Monday.
The Mak Itam tourist train will serve the TdS participants from Padangpanjang to Sawahlunto (old coal mining) city for a distance of tens of kilometers, he said.
Meanwhile, task force chief of Padang city public works office, Dahler said earlier that the TdS that will cover a distance of 854 kilometers, is expected to be participated in by 250 cyclists, including the foreign ones.
Foreign participants, according to Dahler, will be from 17 countries namely Japan, Iran, Singapore, Australia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Kyrgyztan, Russia, Chinese Taipei, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Brunei Darussalam, New Zealand, France, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Last year, a total of 234 cyclists including 15 foreign teams took part in the Tour de Singkarak that lasted on June 6--12, 2011.
The participants will compete in seven stages of the event which will cover, first Sawahlunto-Sijunjung, second Muara Sijunjung-Lembah Harau, third Payakumbuh-Istana Basa Pagaruyung, fourth Sicincin Anai Golf-Bukittinggi, fifth Padang Panjang-Singkarak, sixth Pariaman-Painan, seventh Padang Circuit Race.
(B003)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
