Hundreds of cyclists from five countries join Banyuwangi gravel event

Banyuwangi, E Java (ANTARA) - The Banyuwangi district government in East Java is promoting sports tourism through "Nggravel Glenmore", which drew several hundred cyclists from five countries on Sunday.

Participants came from Australia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland and Indonesia. The event was organized for the first time by Mainsepeda in collaboration with the Banyuwangi district government.

Banyuwangi District Head Ipuk Fiestiandani said Glenmore, in southern Banyuwangi, has strong nature-tourism potential, with fresh air and scenic views on the slopes of Mount Raung.

“Glenmore also has various strengths, including export-quality cocoa, along with commodities such as sugarcane, rubber and coffee,” she said.

Ipuk said Nggravel Glenmore was expected to serve not only as a sporting event, but also as a platform to promote Banyuwangi’s tourism and flagship products.

“We appreciate Mainsepeda founder Azrul for consistently organizing cycling events in Banyuwangi. We hope this event will bring new energy to sport tourism,” she said.

Mainsepeda founder Azrul Ananda said the Nggravel Glenmore route offers participants a variety of challenges.

He said the first four kilometers are paved, before riders enter gravel sections with varying surfaces and terrain.

“Some sections allow riders to easily reach speeds of more than 40 kph, while others are ‘rock gardens’ that shake the body, along with sandy stretches that test concentration,” Azrul said.

Tika, a participant from Yogyakarta, said she was happy to tackle the Glenmore route despite trying gravel cycling for the first time.

She said she aimed not only to complete the event, but also to exercise while enjoying Banyuwangi’s scenery.

Nggravel Glenmore has three categories: a competitive 100-km gravel race, a competitive 100-km Mountain bike (MTB) race, and an 80-km noncompetitive ride.

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Translator: Novi H, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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