The Wall Street Journal recently reported on the Tour de Pakistan which started in 1983.
It’s Asia’s longest cycling race, inspired by the Tour de France, including a yellow winner’s
jersey. There are just 58 riders, accompanied by armed guards. They ride on highways,
pot-holed streets and have few spectators. The country’s conservative dress code frowns
on tight cycling shorts. Sometimes the riders are hit with stones thrown at them by
spectators. The country has some very high mountains but there is no money to organize
the race into the mountains so the stages are mostly flat. In 28 years the race has been
run on 16 times because of financial difficulties.
The only foreigners who are not afraid to race in Pakistan are from Afghanistan.
Compared to their own country, it seems relaxed. One cyclist paid $23 for his bike and is
lucky to have it. Another cyclist had a bike with only one working gear.
The event has only enough money to conduct a handful of doping tests, but did catch last
year’s winner in a positive test. So he’s out for this year. Apparently money isn’t so tight that
riders can’t finance their doping. They’ve been inspired by the Tour de France on that too!
