Come December 19, 2014, and the Cycling Association of Goa (CAG) is hoping to see a sea of cyclists hit the road to be a part of Cyclone Goa, a 25.13 km cycle rally that starts at Mapusa. This is the first time the Cycling Association of Goa is organising a grand rally and they are happy with the response they have received so far. Ryan Braganza, President of CAG, says, “Through this rally, we want to promote cycling as an option for better health and create awareness in schools and colleges for the sport of cycling.” “A lot of people in Goa love cycling but merely as a hobby. Cycling is fulfilling for the cyclist, but unlike other sports like cricket and football, it is not yet in the fore for the audience. If
more people take up cycling as a sport, there is a good chance that it will be developed by the state government,” explains Ryan.
The rally will be flagged off by Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza in the presence of Bollywood starlet Ileana D’Cruz. A few lucky cyclists will also get
a chance to pose for selfies with the
celebrities at the venue.
So far, the association has seen 163
cyclists registering for the event and the
registrations will be open till 8am of the
day of the event. You only need to be
above 15 years of age and show up with
a basic cycle to be part of the rally.
The rally will flag off at 9.40am
from the Mapusa Taxi Stand and will
proceed to Parra, Saligao, Calangute,
Sinquerim, Nagoa before returning to
Mapusa, where a host of entertainment
programmes will be held. “We will be
having international artists like the
famous unicyclist Neptune showcasing
their talent. There will also be an
acrobatic performance by Mr Banana
Show,” he informs.
The well organised event will
have professional cyclists taking the
lead to ensure security and managing
the traffic. “We intend to take the
cycling movement all over Goa with
the message to start cycling so that it
eventually turns out to be recognised as
a sport in the state,” concludes Ryan.
