Cyclists on Sunday (Oct. 11) praised the Hong Kong Cyclothon's move to the West Kowloon Cultural District and the new 56-kilometre course, saying the change offered a fresh experience which would boost interest in cycling and sports tourism.
This year, the course's start and end points were located at the West Kowloon Cultural District and the 50-kilometre non-race ride was extended to 56 kilometres on a new five-tunnel, three-bridge course.
The event also featured a shorter, 32-kilometre course.
The new route featured the Central Kowloon Bypass which connects Yau Ma Tei and Kai Tak, enabling cyclists to ride through six districts, including Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, Kwai Tsing, Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin and Kowloon City.
Sun Hung Kai Properties executive director, Adam Kwok, said the move to start and finish at the West Kowloon Cultural District allowed riders to enjoy the uniqueness of the location.
"West Kowloon Cultural District is truly unique — combining arts, culture, commerce and sports, a new landmark for Hong Kong," Kwok said.
Kwok also hoped the route adjustment would offer visitors a fresh experience and showcase the combination of sports and tourism in Hong Kong.
Two-time Olympic medallist Sarah Lee Wai-sze said Hong Kong's strong performance at the recent Asian Games in Nagoya has increased public attention on cycling.
"With events like the annual Cyclothon, more people are getting into cycling; I hope there will be more similar events in the future to promote local sports development," she said.
Lee also noted the new route's uniqueness and hoped that organisers could explore more new routes in the future.
Another cyclist, surnamed Lee, said riding on the Tsing Ma and Ting Kau bridges left the deepest impression on her as these are roads that people usually only drive across.
A World University Trophy was also introduced at this year's event in which cyclists from "top 100 global institutions" in Hong Kong, the mainland and overseas, joined the 56-kilometre non-race ride.
Meanwhile, the UCI Class 1.1 Road Race featured 17 professional cycling teams from 11 countries and regions that competed on a 100-kilometre route, involving around 100 world-class cyclists.
(Source: RTHK)
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