- Title: NIGERIA: ECOWAS cycling tour begins in Lagos to promote regional cooperation
- Date: 14th November 2013
- Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (NOVEMBER 13, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CYCLISTS WAITING FOR THE TOUR TO COMMENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOHAMMED BASHIR, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, CYCLING FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, SAYING: "The tour is to promote free movement along the ECOWAS countries along the border that is integration of the people so they are using cyclers and the event to pass a message across to our neighbouring West African countries." VARIOUS OF CYCLISTS WAITING AT START LINE (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUGUSTINE SESAY, CAPTAIN FOR THE SIERRA LEONE TEAM, SAYING: "We love the sport, that's why and we hope to win, we want to win the gold." VARIOUS OF ECOWAS OFFICIALS SHAKING HANDS WITH THE CYCLISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) CELEB KALIZIBE, CAPTAIN FOR NIGERIAN TEAM, SAYING: "We have just one particular goal, to stay at the top and go for the stage win and we have one of the best teams in the tour so we believe we will achieve that goal." TOUR BEING FLAGGED OFF VARIOUS OF CYCLISTS RIDING ON STREETS
- Embargoed: 29th November 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAEFVKEQVBMK18EA7RNWR30JDNB
- Story Text: Cyclists from all over West Africa descended on Nigeria's commercial city, Lagos on Wednesday (November 13) for the first leg of the Economic Community of West African States or ECOWAS international cycling tour.
About 90 cyclists will be representing their countries this year as they compete for the star trophy.
This is the third edition of the tour since its inception in 2009. The event aims to promote regional cooperation, across various borders in West Africa and strengthen cycling in the region among other things.
"The tour is to promote free movement along the ECOWAS countries along the border that is integration of the people so they are using cyclers and the event to pass a message across to our neighbouring West African countries," said Mohammed Bashir, the technical director, Cycling Federation of Nigeria.
The cyclists will ride through five countries starting from Nigeria to Benin, Togo, Ghana and finally arrive in Ivory Coast in five days covering a distance of 450 kilometres.
Each country has a team of six cyclists who will compete for cash prizes and trophies which will be awarded to winners at various stages of the race.
There will also be individual and team prizes for the overall tour winners.
"We love the sport, that's why and we hope to win, we want to win the gold," said Augustine Sesay, Sierra Leone's team captain.
ECOWAS officials were on hand to meet the participants. The regional body also says the race gives a practical expression of the importance of free movement in West Africa.
The last two editions which took place in 2009 and 2012 were won by Burkina Faso. This year other teams hope to thrash the reigning champions.
"We have just one particular goal, to stay at the top and go for the stage win and we have one of the best teams in the tour so we believe we will achieve that goal," Celeb Kalizibe, captain for the Nigerian team said.
The West African Cycling Union hopes that the sport will receive a boost from the event and encourage more youth to take up cycling while at the same time lead to discovery of new talent in West Africa. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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