Tour de Siak Forced to Stop Due to Smog
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21 September 2019 15:49 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The third stage of Tour de Siak, en routing Siak-Dayun-Buatan-Siak, was forced to stop after 20 kilometers following the thick haze caused by the forest fire on Saturday, September 21.
"Due to the condition, I have taken this decision prior to the doctor's warning. The best step is to stop the race," said the director of the international cycling race, Sondi Sampurno.
A total of 54 racers from 11 teams started from Siak Palace but when they reached Tambak Rejo village, the committee through its car declared that the race was stopped. The committee previously discussed the matter with the Indonesian Cycling Federation.
Sondi said the decision to continue the stage 4 race will be be made tomorrow and that the points of two previous races will not be annulled.
"The Stage 3 race will not be repeated. We'll discuss this with the Regent. If the weather remains like this, [the race] will not be continued," he asserted, saying that it was a force major event.
Riau Governor Syamsuar had previously lent support to hold the race despite haze emanating from forest fires in the province blanketing Siak District.
Haze in Siak was not as thick as that in Pelalawan District, the governor said as quoted by Antara, while monitoring fire-fighting efforts in Pangkalan Kerinci, Pelalawan, on Thursday evening.
"Siak is different from here (Pelalawan). In Siak, it is bright," he remarked.
The first stage of Tour de Siak won by Trengganu Cycling Team Malaysia, Nur Amirul Fachruddin Mazuki. Meanwhile, Reno Yudha Sansaka from Indonesia managed to secure winner place at Stage 2, but the yellow jacket remains with Malaysia's cyclist
ANTARA