The Tour Of Siam 2006 Has Commenced

[Jai Dee]

TOUR OF SIAM 2006 HAS COMMENCED

Thailand is holding a grand bicycling tournament, almost equivalent to the legendary Tour de France, and this tournament is entitled the Tour of Siam 2006. In this event, bicyclers can burn their calf muscles from Bangkok down to Phuket. The cycling competition has already kicked off since last Sunday (Jan. 15th).

28 cycling teams from across the globe are competing aggressively in this event, including the Thai cycling team. Moreover, the Fukushima (ฟูกูชิม่า) brothers, the former champion, have declared that they will win the second time round. One of the purposes of this sporting event is obviously to promote the tourism of Thailand, especially in the areas along the Andaman coast.

As for Thailand, the country sends 6 teams, comprising of Royal Air Force, Royal Marine, Royal Army, Police, Phra Ram Kao Sawasdee, and Siam Para. All teams are geared up to win this tournament, and we certainly believe that the competition will be action-packed and thrilling. The Thai cycling teams have also asked the Thai people to cheer for them.

Mr. Taritree Juloktappa (ธริษตรี จุลกทัพพะ), the administrator of the Tour of Siam 2006, said everything is going as planned and is very assured that there won’t be any problems.

The routes the bicyclers will ride on between January 15th and 21st start from the capital of Bangkok and carries on to the southern routes along the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Coast. The tournament is divided into seven stages.

Stage 1 is an 85.4-km circuit race near Athayan (อุทยาน) Road. Stage 2 starts from Hua Hin to Prachaub Kiri Khan, with a distance of 117.2 km. Stage 3 begins from Prachaub Kiri Khan to Chumporn, with a 217.2 km distance. Stage 4 commences in Chumporn and ends in Ranong, with 124.5 km distance. Stage 5 kicks off between Ranong and Khao Lak, with a distance of 197.3 km. Stage 6 starts from Khao Lak to Saphan Hin in Phuket, with a distance of 153.9 km. And as for the final stage, the bikers will ride around Phuket Island for 120.4 km. The total riding distance is 1,015.7 km.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 17 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

Special Report - Tour of Siam 2006 bicycle race winners

Special Report for Andaman News TV11 Phuket, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket + Radio Thailand FM90.5 Phuket, 8.30am Monday 23 January 2006 & www.Thaisnews.com

The Tour of Siam 2006 bicycle race ended on Saturday 21st January in Phuket after racing from Bangkok since last Sunday 15th January. 142 riders from 29 teams competed in the grueling 1015.7 kilometre race which went via Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumporn, Ranong, Khao Lak, and finished with a north-south circuit of Phuket Island, from Saphan Hin in Phuket Town to a very windy and hilly Cape Promthep.

The Dutch rider Thomas Rabou won the overall top title after clocking the best total time of 23 hours, 40minutes 49 seconds in the race beating Shinichi Fukushima of Japan by 1 minute 41 seconds. Thomas was riding under the Marcopolo team banner, sponsored in China, but based in Europe. We talked to Thomas after the final stage race, in which he came in 4th, 49 seconds behind the stage winner. He was awaiting official confirmation that he had won overall, but he was fairly confident and pleased with the outcome: He then described how his race had gone: He admitted the final parts of the race with such a hilly course were very challenging: He told us about his bike which can get up to an incredible 90 kilometres an hour maximum speed on the downhill legs: For his victory, he captured the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Trophy plus the 120,000 baht cash prize.

Briton’s Daniel Lloyd of the Giant Asia Team, sponsored in Taiwan, but only with British and Irish riders, won yesterday’s final Phuket stage of 120.4 kilometres with a time of 2 hours 49 minutes and 3 seconds, with Taiwan’s Kuan-hua Lai 38 seconds behind. Daniel also admitted to us that the last part going up to Cape Promthep was the hardest part of the course: He enjoyed the atmosphere along the course especially going through Patong:

Although there were several Thai riders and teams including Bangkok clubs, the Royal Thai Army, Air Force and Police, rather disappointedly no Thai riders won any of the several categories, perhaps showing the high international standard.

The Tour of Siam’s Thai Race organizers thanked all the riders and the team officials for their cooperation and an exiting race, and expressed their appreciation to all the local authorities and foreign race officials who helped all along the course.