The 17th Tour de Pakistan Cycling Race, also known as the ‘longest race in Asia’, will be staged this year from Mazar-e-Quiad Karachi on March 23 and will culminate on April 4 at Khyber Pass after crossing a record distance of 1665 kilometer, Secretary Pakistan Cycling Federation Syed Azhar Ali Shah said.

Shah claimed that preparations for the event were in full swing and that cyclists from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, South Africa,Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia were also expected.

The race, modeled after the Tour de France, used to be 22 stages long and 2,200 kilometers in length, but was reduced in 2007 to 1,648 kilometers and 11 stages. Muhammad Sabir of Pakistan WAPDA won the 16th Tour de Pakistan cycle race that concluded in Abbottabad last year. Sabir also improved his previous time by winning the longest cycling race in Asia with timing of 44 hours, 35 minutes and 45 seconds.

The race he said would start on March 23 at 9.30 from Mazar-e-Quiad, Karachi and would reach at Hyderabad. After paddling off from Karachi, the cyclists would compete in all 11-stages like Karachi-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Moro, Moro-Sukkar, Sukkar-Rahim Yar Khan. At Rahim Yar Khan there will be a rest day on March 23.

After rest day on March 23, the cyclists would paddle off again from Rahim Yar Khan-Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur-Multan, Multan-Sahiwal, Sahiwal-Lahore.