The 2016 Tour de Singkarak will be the 8th edition of
the annual international
cycling race held in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The 1,102.7 km (685 mi)-long
race will start in Solok District on Saturday, 6 August 2016, and will be concluded with the 8th stage in Padang, on Sunday, 14 August 2016. A total of 230 riders of 23 teams will
participate in the event.
Teams confirmed to compete are from Malaysia,
Singapore, Laos, Taiwan, Japan, Switzerland, Korea, Australia, Iran, United
Arab Emirates, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Kenya, in addition to 5 teams
from Indonesia. The riders of the Tour de Singkarak will pass through 17
districts and cities in West Sumatra for a total prize of IDR 2.5 billion (± USD 191,000).
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Tour de Singkarak is included in the 2016 Road
Calendar of Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). In 2013, Amauri Sport
Organisation (ASO) as the official organizer of the Tour de France recommends Tour
de Singkarak as a major championship in Asia. There are estimated 550 thousand
viewers watching the Tour de Singkarak every year. According to the UCI, Tour
de Singkarak was ranked the world's 5th international cycling with Highest
Attendance, after the Tour de France (12 million viewers), Giro d'Italia (8
million viewers), Vuelta a Espana (5 million viewers), and Santos Tour Down
under (750 thousand viewers).
Iran riders have dominated the Tour de Singkarak since it was first held in 2009. In 2009 and 2010 the race was won by Ghader Mizbani from Iran. In 2011, another Iranian rider, Amir Zargari, won the race. Spanish rider, Oscar Pujol Munoz, won the 2013 Tour de Singkarak. However, the year 2014 and 2015 saw the return of Iranian riders as the winners, Ghader Mizbani and Amir Zargari, respectively. In 2015, another Iranian rider, Arvin Moazemi Goudarzi, emerged as the winner of Tour de Singkarak.
Iran riders have dominated the Tour de Singkarak since it was first held in 2009. In 2009 and 2010 the race was won by Ghader Mizbani from Iran. In 2011, another Iranian rider, Amir Zargari, won the race. Spanish rider, Oscar Pujol Munoz, won the 2013 Tour de Singkarak. However, the year 2014 and 2015 saw the return of Iranian riders as the winners, Ghader Mizbani and Amir Zargari, respectively. In 2015, another Iranian rider, Arvin Moazemi Goudarzi, emerged as the winner of Tour de Singkarak.
On 12 July 2016, the routes and stages of Tour
de Singkarak were officially announced. There were 8 stages in the race, covering a total
distance of 1,102.7 km (685 mi). The longest race stage was
the fifth at 152.6 km (94.8 mi), and stage 1
the shortest at 96.6 km
(60 mi).
Stage
1
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Saturday,
6 August 2016
Starts
at Solok District and finishes in Payakumbuh (distance of 96.6 km)
Stage
2
Sunday, 7 August 2016
Starts at Limapuluh Kota and finishes
in Tanah Datar (distance 119.5 km)
Stage
3
Monday, 8 August 2016
Starts at Pasaman and finishes
in West
Pasaman (distance 122.8 km)
Stage
4
Tuesday, 9 August 2016
Starts at Padangpanjang and
finishes in Agam (distance 150 km)
Stage
5
Wednesday, 10 August 2016
Starts at Pesisir Selatan and
finishes in Kota Pariaman (distance 152.6 km)
Stage
6
Thursday, 11 August 2016
Starts at Padangpariaman and
finishes in Sawahlunto (distance 149 km)
Stage
7
Friday, 12 August 2016
Starts at Sijunjung and finishes
in Dharmasraya (distance 133.4
km)
Stage
8
Sunday, 14 August 2016
Starts at Bukittinggi
and finishes in Padang (distance 146.5
km)
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Note: No race scheduled on 13 August, rest day for the riders and officials.
The opening ceremony at the evening of 5 August
will be conducted by Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya at Pier Lake Singkarak,
Solok Regency. Tour de Singkarak is considered the best bike racing event in
Indonesia, which also inspired similar bike racing events in other regions in
Indonesia, such as Tour de Banyuwangi-Ijen, Tour de Bintan, and Tour de Flores.
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