Tour of Armenia international cycling race kicks off

On September 10, the international cycling race “Tour of Armenia,” part of the UCI Europe Tour, kicked off from the Central Square of Gavar, the administrative center of Gegharkunik Province.

The opening ceremony of the international cycling race was attended by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, Gegharkunik Governor Karen Sargsyan, Gavar Mayor Gurgen Martirosyan, local officials and residents.

The “Tour of Armenia” international professional multi-day cycling race, held from September 10 to 13, comprises four stages covering a total distance of 587 km, with 5,300 meters of elevation gain, passing through four provinces of Armenia (Gegharkunik, Tavush, Lori, and Aragatsotn) and finishing in the capital, Yerevan (September 10: Gavar – Mets Masrik; September 11: Kirants – Stepanavan; September 12: Martuni – Dilijan/Parz Lake; September 13: Yerevan).

The Tour of Armenia, also known as the Tour d’Arménie, is a Class 2.2 event on the UCI Europe Tour.

Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan described the race as a landmark event.

“This is a historic day for Armenia, because we have been able to bring this major project to life, the implementation of which we have been preparing for two years, and today we are hosting a prestigious international cycling race, in which 16 teams from different countries around the world are participating, including the Armenian team. The cyclists are set to cover over 500 kilometers in Armenia over four days. This shows that the condition of Armenia’s roads is good enough for us to host an international race. And with this, we are taking a very important step toward the development of cycling, the results of which we will see every year.

“All countries around the world will follow the start and course of the race, because the international platforms with which we have agreements to cover the race are broadcast on all continents. Through this, we are making visible not only our opportunities for the development of cycling, but also promoting our country, our historical and cultural heritage, communities, landscapes, and people around the world. This is a strategically important step, and I hope that four days from now, after the race is concluded, we will have satisfactory results and sufficient experience and knowledge to make it an annual event.

“There was great interest in the race from Japan, Kazakhstan, and a number of European countries. It is also important that we implemented the entire project together with an internationally renowned consulting company, and their support is crucial. Today, too, you saw that there is a large staff serving this international race, which is certified to serve such a prestigious event. We can be confident that with this race, our country has registered another success in its sporting history.

“As a result of holding this race, a large part of Gegharkunik Province will also gain international visibility, while another opportunity is being created to promote Lake Sevan internationally,” the minister said.