TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tour d`Indonesia (TdI), the most prestigious bike road race in the country, will take place in July, after a five-year hiatus, with a start from Jakarta, an official has said.

A total of 25 teams will participate in this international cycling event, according to Sondi Sampurno, the Referee Commission Chairman of the Indonesian Sport Bike Association Executive Board (PB ISSI), here on Wednesday.

The bike race will end in the East Java provincial District of Banyuwangi, Sondi said, adding that 20 out of the 25 teams were foreign racers.

Sondi further stated that all the racers will leave from Jakarta for Bandung in West Java Province, from where they will continue racing at the second stage.

At the (second) stage, they will compete from Bandung to Ciamis District, which is still in West Java.

Then the racers will compete from Ciamis to Purwokerto and then move to Yogjakarta or Solo in Central Java Province.

From Yogyakarta or Solo, the racers will move to Madiun and head to Surabaya or Sidoarjo and then to Jember in East Java.

Additionally, Sondi stated that the racers will pass through the lane from Jember to Situbondo and enter Banyuwangi or through the mountainous road of "Gunung Gumitir" before finishing in Banyuwangi.

In the meantime, general chairman of the Indonesian Cycling Association Executive Board (PB ISSI) Raja Sapta Oktohari said that preparations for TdI 2017 event have taken place as planned.

The TdI is an annual professional road bicycle race held in Java, Indonesia, since 2004.

ANTARA