Allure of cycling on closed roads draws participants to OCBC Cycle 2019
Bryan Phyo was so eager to sign up for the OCBC Cycle 2019 event that he started queuing up almost 24 hours before registration opened at Orchard Gateway at noon on Friday (11 January).
The 33-year-old engineer had been in line since about 2pm on Thursday with his wife Michelle, and spent most of the time chatting with other cycling enthusiasts who were also in the registration line.
This will be his third straight year participating in the annual OCBC Cycle event, which is into its 11th edition. He said, “I like the event because I’m able to cycle on Singapore roads without other vehicles around. It is less stressful and far more enjoyable.”
For being the first two participants to register for the event, which will be held on 11 and 12 May at the Singapore Sports Hub, both he and his wife enjoyed 25 per cent discounts off their registration fees. They also each won a GoPro Hero7 Silver action camera and an Aleoca Hybrid bike, worth a total of $840.
Familiar events, returning competitions
This year’s OCBC Cycle will again feature the 42km Sportive Ride and 23km Straits Times Ride for non-competitive participation. There will also be three family-friendly Mighty Savers categories – the 800m tricycle ride, the 5km Family Ride for kids only and the 5km Family Ride for one adult with kids.
The event will also see the return of the OCBC Cycle Speedway Corporate Championship after a one-year break. The competition pits five-man corporate cycling teams against one another over 10 laps of a one-kilometre circuit.
Other competitive events include the OCBC Cycle Speedway Club Championship (for Singapore cycling clubs), and the OCBC Cycle Speedway Southeast Asia Championship (for Southeast Asia teams) and the OCBC Cycle Corporate Chase (for corporate teams over 42km).
OCBC Bank group chief executive officer Samuel Tsien said, “(OCBC Cycle) has become an iconic event on Singapore’s annual sporting calendar. Singapore’s well-integrated pathways, our beautiful parks and seamless park connectors have made it ever easier for people to take up cycling for exercise and recreation. Yet OCBC Cycle’s allure – the opportunity to ride on closed roads that offer memorable and ‘Instagrammable’ sights – remains unique.”
Online registration for the event begins on Monday. For more information, please visit www.ocbccycle.com.
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