Tour de Flores: Cycling through the wonders of Flores

Wed, June 8, 2016 / 04:01 pm

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Cyclists speed through a scenic turn. ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A
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Cyclists on a downhill section of the fourth stage of the Tour de Flores from Bajawa to Ruteng: a 136.6 kilometers section. ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A
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Cyclists snake through a stage of the Tour de Flores. ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A
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Cyclists speed past a cut-through hill. ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A
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Cyclist Liu Jianpeng from Wisdom-Xenhiang team pedals through the fourth stage of the Tour de Flores. Jiangpeng recorded the fastest time for this stage. ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A
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Leading cyclists approach the finish line of the fourth stage of the Tour de Flores. ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A
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Fourth-stage winners Liu Jianpeng (center), Benjamin Prades (left) and Jai Crawford pose for pictures after receiving traditional scarves and caps as a local version of winning jerseys. ANTARA FOTO/Wahyu Putro A
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A student scurries across the track during the final stage of the Tour de Flores in Labuan Bajo. The Jakarta Post/Markus Makur
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A cyclist approaches a wet section of the track during the final stage of the Tour de Flores in Labuan Bajo. The Jakarta Post/Markus Makur
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Cyclists are welcomed by a cheering crowd during the last stage of the Tour de Flores in Labuan Bajo. The Jakarta Post/Markus Makur
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Tour champion Daniel Whitehouse (center), runner-up Benjamin Prades (right) and third winner Ricardo Garcia pose for a photo during the prize-awarding ceremony of the Tour de Flores. The Jakarta Post/Markus Makur

For five days, cyclists from 16 countries took part in the inaugural Tour de Flores 2016, which aims to promote tourism in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara.

The cycling race, which started in Larantuka on May 18 and finished in Labuan Bajo on May 23, was the first ever international sporting event to take place on the island.

The tour passes through eight of the island's districts, traversing 661.5 kilometers of the Trans-Flores highway, which is famous for breathtaking scenery of coastlines, mountains, other islands and farmland.

Of the total 100 cyclists who took part in the tour, only 78 completed all the stages. The route was undoubtedly a challenge, full of steep climbs and extreme descents with sharp turns that would be a challenge for most cyclists.

With the success of the tour, the Tour de Flores is set to become an annual tourism event to attract both domestic and foreign visitors to the island. [dmr]