Arusha club lauds riders for Tour performance

Dar es Salaam. Arusha Cycling Club (ACC) has hailed its riders who competed at the Tour of Meles Zenawi in Ethiopia over the weekend.
ACC fielded a three-man team at the competition which pulled huge crowds on the streets of Mekele, the capital city in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia.
ACC official Bram Markey praised the team for finishing sixth in the event that involved riders from 11 countries.
The club and country’s representatives were Richard Laizer, a household name in domestic races, Hamis Hussein and Karemani Gerard.
Markey said Laizer, who signed for Germany’s Aid Bike, finished in the 21st place on the last day of racing while Gerard took the 24th slot. Hussein crossed the finish line 42nd.
In the final general classification, Laizer settled for the 24th position while Hussein took the 31th place and Gerard managed the 38thfinish.
“Congratulations to all for their brave participation,” Markey said in a statement posted on official ACC facebook page.
Ethiopian riders did not disappoint home fans after helping their county finish at the top of the table.
According to Nigusse Gebre, President of the Ethiopian Cycling Federation, the tour was primarily aimed at commemorating the contribution of the late Premier Meles Zenawi to the Green Development of the country, his green imitative and his visionary leadership.
It was also aimed at expanding the sport in the nation and on the continent.
Tour Meles Cycling Race which has now expanded to an international race level for the first time has so far been held three times on a yearly basis.
The countries that had representatives in this year’s edition are Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and host Ethiopia