Wapda’s Sabir continues to lead Tour de Pakistan

Sabir managed to outpace 57 cyclists reaching Moro in three hours 55 minutes and 50 seconds.

KARACHI:

Wapda’s Sabir continued to lead the trail on the second day of the Tour de Pakistan, while Pakistan Army’s Zahid Mehmood stood in second position despite teammate Mohammad Rafiq’s accident.

The 58 riders representing 10 teams including Wapda, Army, Pakistan Railways, Fata, four provincial teams, Sui Southern Gas Corporation and Afghanistan, concluded the second stage of the 13-day event in Moro after covering 163 kilometres from Hyderabad.

Sabir carried on with his blistering performance, reaching Moro in three hours 55 minutes and 50 seconds, while Mehmood followed him with the difference of seven seconds and Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah secured the third position in three hours 57 minutes and 10 seconds.

“My lead in the race is more of a team effort,” Sabir told The Express Tribune. “I must admit that Army cyclists were ready to take the top spot, but five other cyclists in my team strategised their moves and created a block for the opponents in such a way that we managed to cover the distance of 163 kilometres more quickly than yesterday’s 155.

“The pressure is building on every cyclist now and it will become more of a team effort as we progress on the track.”

While Wapda show unity, Army cyclists eye the first position in the third round especially after their top cyclist Rafiq’s accident on the track.

Rafiq, who finished the first stage in second position, suffered a blow on day two when his bicycle collided with a truck near Rohri. The 25-year-old had some minor injuries but his main suffering was spending the entire day without his bicycle.

“This happens in a competition of this nature. It gets dirty and teams try to block each other’s way.  I was trying to break the opponents’ block and in doing so I hit the truck that came on the track. It was a bad day for me, but I’m glad that Mehmood covered for me,” said Rafiq.

Rafiq ended the day at 11th position, however, he aims to be at the top by the end of the third stage that will cover 150 kilometres from Moro to Sukkur.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2011.