No fewer than 250 participants from the 15-member nations of ECOWAS will take part in the Second ECOWAS International Cycling Tour billed to flag off on Feb. 15.
A press statement released by ECOWAS said the tour would take place from Feb. 15 to Feb. 19.
The tour caravan is expected to traverse five countries, namely Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire where the competition would terminate.
The race, which would cover a total distance of 450 kilometres, would be flagged off at the National Stadium in Lagos and terminate in Abidjan on Feb. 19.
The ECOWAS international cycling tour would be over the four stages of Lagos-Cotonou, Cotonou-Lome, Ada-Accra and Abuaso-Abidjan.
The statement quoted Mr Francis Njoguani, the Director of ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre, adding that there would be three motorised transfers in the course of the race.
It said each of the 15-member nations of ECOWAS would be expected to field a team of six cyclists and five accompanying officials.
The statement added that there would be prize money and trophies for winners at the various stages of the race, as well as the overall tour winner and team standing.
There would also be prizes for sprint races and the best young cyclist.
Njoguani also explained that the staging of the second edition followed on the heels of the maiden competition held in 2009 and which covered Lagos to Accra.
He said the race was initiated by ECOWAS Heads of State to further the community’s ideals of regional integration and the free movement of persons.
“These are to serve as a tool to actualise the ECOWAS Vision 2020 of transforming from an ‘ECOWAS of States to an ECOWAS of People’,’’ the director said.
According to the statement, the maiden edition was successful and many more people had been looking forward to the current edition.
The second ECOWAS international cycling tour was being financed by the ECOWAS Commission.