Pathum Sampath Seals Victory in Inaugural Police Cycling Tour

COLOMBO (News 1st): After three days of relentless racing, tactical battles and high-speed sprints across hundreds of kilometres of Sri Lankan roads, it was Sri Lanka Army cyclist Pathum Sampath who emerged victorious, claiming the overall championship of the inaugural Police Cycling Tour organized to mark the 160th Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Police.

The event, held for the first time, concluded successfully today (3) after attracting some of the country's leading cyclists in a showcase of endurance, teamwork and competitive spirit.

The three-stage race began on Tuesday (1) in front of the Police Headquarters in Colombo.

The opening stage covered a distance of 141 kilometres, concluding in Dambulla.

The second stage got underway from Dambulla yesterday (2), with riders covering 137.3 kilometres before reaching Puttalam.

Ahead of today's decisive final stage, winners of the previous day's competitions were felicitated at a ceremony presided over by Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the North Western Province, Ajith Rohana.

The third and final stage, covering 131 kilometres, commenced from Puttalam this morning.

The peloton powered through Chilaw, Marawila, Negombo, Ja-Ela, Peliyagoda, Orugodawatta and Dematagoda, before crossing the finish line in front of the Police Headquarters in Colombo, where the race had begun three days earlier.

Riders maintained a blistering average speed of 42.15 kilometres per hour during today's stage.

Demonstrating remarkable strength and consistency, Pathum Sampath of the Sri Lanka Army claimed victory in the final stage, clocking 3 hours, 6 minutes and 47 seconds.

His performance not only earned him the stage win but also secured the overall title after the completion of all three stages.

"First of all, I would like to thank the Sri Lanka Police and all its officers for organizing a competition of this nature to elevate the sport of cycling. This victory was achieved through a collective team effort. Over the three days, it was a race that constantly shifted and was largely driven by the sprinters. As a team, our goal was to bring the overall championship to the Sri Lanka Army, and we are delighted to have achieved that objective," he said after the win.

Completing an impressive performance for the Army team, Niran Pasindu secured second place in the overall standings, while Avishka Madonsa of the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council finished third.

The Sri Lanka Army also captured the team championship.