Saranga Perera claim major honours at Lanka Ride

It was another day at office for season campaigner Saranga Perera, who made a clean sweep and bagged all the honours at the inaugural Lanka Ride Cycle Race, which concluded in Colombo after three days of competition.

The 24-year-old champion cyclist from the Army added another feather to his cap as he was crowned as the Tour Leader, Best Sprinter and the King of Mountain while covering the race with a time of 10 hours, 36:58 seconds.

“I think the Lanka Ride Cycle Race was an important event in Sri Lanka’s cycling calendar similar to the popular Air Force Cycle Tour, which is held every year,” said the former schoolboy of Dharmasoka MV, Kalagedihena.

“I came second in the first stage of the race from Colombo to Gannoruwa and managed to secure the Tour Leader yellow jersey after the second stage in Anuradhapura.”

“My ultimate goal in the decisive and gruelling third and final stage from Anuradhapura to Colombo was to retain the Tour Leader position and to finish with a better timing.”

“I am happy that I managed to complete my task successfully and also had the honour of winning all three jerseys of the race – King of Mountain, Best Sprinter and of course the Tour Leader.”

“I think I slightly overworked during the first stage from Colombo to Gannoruwa where there were a couple of mountains at Nelumdeniya, Ambanpitiya, Uthuwankanda and Kadugannawa.”

“I tried to break away from the main bunch of riders after Warakapola but I think it was a vain effort and as a result I wasted too much energy and had to settle for the runners-up position in Gannoruwa.”

“The second stage was dominated by a few riders who were not in the top category and that did not worry me because my focus was on the competitors who were very close to my timings.”

“I think the biggest challenge for me in this race came from the Navy and Dehiwala Mount Lavinia riders and my fellow teammate Sandaruwan Pinto.”

“The final stage was a tough challenge for all the riders with over 200km and I think the last stretch from Puttalam to Colombo was the period that changed the course of the race.”

“I started preparations for the race about two months ago climbing the hills in Diyatalawa and Haputale and also through the flat roads in Thanamalwila and Kataragama,” added Saranga.

Source - Sunday Observer