Inter-Provincial Co-ordination Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Advisor to KP Chief Minister Amjad Afridi formally inaugurated the race. The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cycling Association (KPCA) have jointly organised the event to promote tourism in the province and also send a message of peace to the world.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Additional Secretary Sports & Tourism Muhammad Tariq, General Manager (Events) Muhammad Ali Syed, General Manager Sajjad Hameed, TCKP Managing Director Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, Secretary Pakistan Cycling Federation Syed Azhar Ali Shah, KPCA president Nisar Ahmed and secretary Taifur Zarin, DG Pakistan Sports Board Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjir and other officials and a large number of spectators were present on the occasion. Seventy-eight cyclists from nine teams hailing from Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, SSGPL, Wapda and Pakistan Army participated in the race.
The enthusiastic cyclists started pedalling their bikes from Sports Complex, Islamabad, and reached Abbottabad via the ancient Wah Cantt, Taxila and Hassan Abdal cities on the Grand Trunk Road and Haripur and Havelian in the scenic Hazara division in an effort to win the race.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Inter-Provincial Co-ordination Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada said that steps would be taken for the promotion of cycling race across the country to engage youth in the healthy and positive activities. Later, Cash prizes and awards were given to the winners. The concluding ceremony will be held at Nathiagali and Advisor to KP Chief Minister Amjad Afridi, and Secretary for Sports & Tourism Azam Khan will attend the event.