In a surprising result, Haroon Rashid of Wapda won the eighth stage of the 16th Tour de Pakistan cycle race from Sahiwal to Lahore.
Rashid completed the 178 kilometres in three hours 44 minutes and one second while SSGC’s Farooq stood second by a 10-second margin. Wapda’s Sabir was third, covering the distance in three hours 44 minutes and 21 seconds.
The cyclists participated in the Sahiwal-Lahore leg of the race while the ninth stage will paddle off for Gujrat from Lahore tomorrow.
Winners of the stages awarded
Later, the Punjab Sports Board held a reception ceremony in honour of the race participants at the National Hockey Stadium. President Punjab Olympic Association Syed Shahid Ali distributed prizes amongst the winners of the first eight stages of the race.
PCF to conduct dope tests
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) has decided to conduct dope tests of the top 10 cyclists of the Tour de Pakistan cycle race.
The decision was taken after consultation with Pakistan Sports Board and Anti Doping Organisation of Pakistan.
“We will screen athletes to ensure that the event is clean,” said a PCF spokesman. “We have a zero tolerance policy against doping.”
The dope tests will be conducted before the last stage, which will start from Rawalpindi and end at Abbottabad on March 20.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2011.
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