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| The third edition of Returning to Trường Sơn Cycling Tournament will be held on July 15-20. — Photo qdnd.vn |
Viet Nam News
HÀ NỘI — A cycling tournament entitled ‘Returning to Trường Sơn’ begins today in Hà Nội.
Seventy cyclists from 12 local and two foreign teams will participate in the six-stage tournament which runs nearly 750km from the capital city to Quảng Trị Province.
The first stage today is 30 laps around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, totaling 51km.
According to the organisers, Vietnamese national team cyclists will compete as it is the last warm-up event before August’s Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia.
They will face strong foreigner competition from Thailand and Laos. Laos’ Alex Phounsavath, winner of the HCM City Television tournament in April, will race.
Apart from cycling, athletes and officials will take part in charity activities such as awarding scholarships to underprivileged students, giving presents to poor people and houses for families of war invalids and martyrs, with total charitable value of about VNĐ7 billion (US$308,000).
This third edition of the race, organised by Quân Đội Nhân Dân (People’s Army) newspaper, will finish on July 20 with a 20-lap race around Quảng Trị Province’s Quảng Trị Citadel on 53km.
Total prize money of VNĐ300 million ($13,000) is up for grabs.
The tournament aims to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the War Invalids’ and Martyrs’ Day on July 27. — VNS
