Srinagar, Oct 31: On the occasion of 11th J&K Bank Tour-de-Kashmir cycle race various sports personalities and dignitaries of the State stressed on the need of making the event as multi-stage one covering historical and tourist destinations of State.
 “I have been stressing the need to support cycling events like this as we have got enough talent in these disciplines. To cover distance of around 100 or 60-kilometres on cycles in chilly cold conditions is not a small thing. It needs lot of determination and hard work,” said JK Bank Executive President and Chairman Sports Board Taffazul Hussain.
 “We at JK Bank will continue supporting this unique event and promise organisers to make it better one in future,” he said.
 CEO GDA, Mahmood Shah while hailing the event said, “It is great to see such cycling talent in our Valley. I as CEO GDA promise every kind of help and support to cyclists and Gulmarg is always available for any kind of cycling event. I hope organiser’s will continue to include Gulmarg in future editions of Tour-de-Kashmir”.
 Director Magpie Hydel Construction Operation Industries Pvt. Ltd and Olympian, Mir Mudasir said that Tour-de-Kashmir has got the potential to turn as premier sporting event of the State if organised on a multistage basis.
 On previous 10 occasions event was held from Srinagar to Pahalgam. However this year route has been changed from Srinagar to Gulmarg.
 “The main aim behind change of race route is to turn into the multi-stage event in future and we hope that over plans bear fruit and this event turn out as success. If J&K Bank and other organizations continue their support to us we are planning to make it three stage event next season and even bigger in years to come” said founder of the event and organising secretary JKSDA Reyaz Wani.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST