Pashinyan calls for Tour of Armenia to become annual event

Officials on Friday lauded the launch of the Tour of Armenia international professional multi-stage cycling race as a historic event not only for Armenian sports but also for enhancing Armenia’s international visibility.

“Bringing a race of this quality and standard to Armenia and bringing cycling to Armenia was very important for the development of our sports and the visibility of our country, because the race is broadcast on numerous international platforms, making what is happening in Armenia visible in every corner of the world,” Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan said at the Cabinet meeting.

Andreasyan also highlighted the public’s interest in the race.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Armenia has become an important point on the global cycling map. “Cycling is one of the sports with a very significant share in the modern world. The two countries that host the two biggest cycling races—France and Italy—are the leading tourism destinations in Europe,” Pashinyan said.

He noted that during broadcasts of cycling races, coverage of not only the race itself but also the country in question is no less important. “When the cycling peloton is moving, a great deal of attention is given to showing the nature, nearby monuments, roads and settlements. In other words, it is essentially advertising for the country and is much more effective,” the prime minister emphasized.

According to Pashinyan, the Tour of Armenia should be made an annual event, which could contribute to an increase in tourist flows to Armenia.

“We need to make this race an annual event, and it will make a very significant contribution to increasing tourist flows to Armenia,” he said.

The prime minister also addressed the importance of developing cycling culture, linking it to a healthy lifestyle. “We are entering an era of traffic congestion, and one of the ways to overcome it is the wider adoption of cycling, not to mention adopting a healthy lifestyle and an active way of life,” Pashinyan said.

The Tour of Armenia is sanctioned as a Class 2.2 event on the UCI Europe Tour.

Polish cyclist Michal Pomorski of the Czech team ATT Investments won the opening stage on Thursday.

Stage 2 began on Friday.