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International, prestigious cycling race ‘Tour de Bintan 2022’ which also celebrates its 10th year anniversary this year, finally is back in Bintan Regency of Riau Islands Province this weekend 14th to 16th October 2022, after its postponement due to Covid-19 pandemic situation. Similar with previous event, the race’s course will take place through the challenging but scenic road areas of Bintan Regency and Bintan Resorts as host of the venues. The two locations equally offer beautiful race course, tropical beach atmosphere along with warm welcome crowd of locals that surely provide both exciting race yet leisure for the participants.
This year, Tour de Bintan has been prepared in a relatively short of time. The first discussion with MetaSport as Event Organizer was initiated in June 2022 and followed up with official announcement by MetaSport itself in August, continued with opening of registration in September. The decision to make the event to happen has been done with careful assessment as the Covid-19 pandemic eventually gets better, following with the ease of some restrictions by Covid-19 Task Force that resulted into a decision to make Tour de Bintan to go ahead in October.
Participant’s enthusiasm was shown by their fast respond to register for the race through website’s platform of Tour de Bintan within only two months after the announcement was made by the organizer. A total of 515 cyclists registered up to 7th October 2022 as the closing date of registration. The final number shows that Indonesian nationality is among the 33 countries or nationalities participated at the upcoming event. It is such a pride to find out that Indonesian’s cyclists contribute 22% of total registration. Event organizer provides a few categories for racers to choose from, based on their capability: 138km Grand Fondo Classic, 82km Grand Fondo Challenge, 113km Grand Fondo Century or 52km Grand Fondo Discovery.
Tour de Bintan that will soon take place on this Friday, is the fourth year as a UCI Grand Fondo Series, where cyclists will put their best effort to be qualified as the top 20 percent in their respective age groups in the opening 17km Individual Time Trial on the Friday afternoon or in the epic 138km Grand Fondo Classic on Saturday morning, to secure a slot for the World Championship in Glasgow, Scotland in 2023. “The success to make Tour de Bintan to happen this year, is a proof on the preparedness and well collaboration by both Bintan Regency and Bintan Resorts, to set schedules and plans toward various sport tourism and international events in 2023,” said Group General Manager PT Bintan Resort Cakrawala, Abdul Wahab. PT Bintan Resort Cakrawala as the developer, operator and destination marketing of Bintan Resorts, is currently preparing various international scale of events to be carried out in 2023 such as Bintan Triathlon, Ironman Bintan, Bintan Marathon and others.
