Games cycling event on track with short stretch

Despite confusion reigning over the availability of track, the cycling test event for the Commonwealth Games will be held on Sunday on an eight-km stretch — much shorter than the actual Games track.

Despite confusion reigning over the availability of track, the cycling test event for the Commonwealth Games will be held on Sunday on an eight-km stretch — much shorter than the actual Games track.

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On Thursday evening, the Delhi traffic police had excluded the badly dug up Connaught Place from the proposed track, as construction work was still ongoing there.

However, the traffic police — reportedly under pressure from host of the event, Cycling Federation of India — had to include Connaught Place’s Inner and Outer Circle in the track. Now, it is being said they are confident the construction work will be finished overnight.

“Initially we had excluded CP from the track, as we thought barricading the entire stretch will not be possible. However, the Federation men have promised to complete barricading of the track before 6 a.m. on Sunday. The events will start at 6 a.m. but main event will start at 10.30 a.m. and expected to be completed by 1.30 p.m.,” said Satyendra Garg, Joint CP (Traffic).

He said that traffic will not be allowed on the route from Saturday night; cross traffic will be restricted from 5 a.m. on Sunday till the event end.

The 100-km cycling event for men, which will be attended by 15 teams and clubs from seven countries, will now start from Parliament Street near Free Church premises and will terminate here after taking several rounds in Lutyen’s Delhi.

Besides the test event, a national cycling event and four joyrides (promotional rides) will also take place on the same route, Federation officials said.