OCBC Cycle returns in May with new category for foldable bikes
Benicia Tan
THIS year’s OCBC Cycle – the largest cycling event in Singapore – will take place over the weekend of May 11-12 with a new 40 km category for foldable bikes.
The “Foldie Ride by Brompton”, as it is called, will cater to the growing base of cyclists who ride foldable two-wheelers, said OCBC in a release on Tuesday (Mar 5) to mark the launch of the 16th edition of the annual event.
More than 7,000 cyclists across 10 categories are expected to participate this year, with a thousand riders taking part in the Foldie Ride category.
The evergreen rides –The Sportive Ride (40 km) and The Straits Times Ride (20 km) – will feature once again.
Participants can look forward to pedaling their way on routes with roads specially closed on May 12. The route will take them past landmarks such as Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay, before finishing inside the National Stadium at the Sports Hub.
Making its return for the first time in the post-pandemic is the Speedway SEA Championship, which will welcome nine teams from various South-east Asian countries including Singapore.
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The last edition of this championship, which took place in 2019, saw the team from the Philippines emerge as the overall winner. The teams from Malaysia and Vietnam came in second and third respectively.
At the launch event of OCBC Cycle held at orchardgateway, OCBC Group chief executive officer Helen Wong said she was reminded of how Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong had touched on sports in his recent Budget speech in February.
“He described sports as a platform to strengthen solidarity through common experience, uniting Singaporeans from all walks of life,” she said.
“OCBC Cycle bears DPM Lawrence out: Families and friends get to bond on a weekend that brings together thousands of cyclists from varied backgrounds. At the same time, the competitive categories do not draw only local clubs and companies; the region’s top national cyclists – including Singapore’s – pit themselves against each other too.”
New sponsors on board
OCBC on Tuesday announced three new sponsors of OCBC Cycle – Brompton, Anywheel and Jen Singapore Orchardgateway.
These sponsors are known as “Friends of OCBC”, and they join 14 others that help to support OCBC Cycle’s mission to grow the cycling community and encourage bonding among friends and families through cycling.
In the lead-up to the event, Brompton will organise training rides for participants to familiarise themselves with the 40 km distance and build up their cycling proficiencies.
Local bicycle retailer Happy Owl Cycle will host workshops to guide cyclists on how to take care of their bicycles and how to handle minor technical issues during their rides.
Registration for the event is open. Those who do so before April 7 stand a chance to win a customised OCBC Cycle Brompton bicycle. More details on the event can be found at www.ocbccycle.com.
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