SINGAPORE: The OCBC Cycle will begin this Saturday (May 11), and more than 7,000 cyclists are expected to participate. Being Singapore’s largest mass cycling event, it also aims to provide “a safe cycling platform for riders across all cycling proficiencies.”
Parts of Nicoll Highway, Raffles Avenue, Sheares Avenue, East Coast Parkway (City), Republic Avenue, Bayfront Avenue, Straits Boulevard, Central Boulevard, and West Coast Highway will be closed.
Events will start and end at the Singapore Sports Hub, and road closures have been announced for May 11 and 12 to ensure the cyclists’ safety.
Stadium Drive will be closed from 4:00 to 9:00 a.m. on Saturday (May 11). The Kallang and Marina Bay area will also be closed starting at 1:00 a.m. on Sunday (May 12).
The Traffic Advisory Brochure, which includes full details on road closures, recommended travelling directions, and key information regarding the event, can be found here: https://ocbccycle.com/traffic-advisory-brochure/
A new addition to this year’s OCBC Cycle lineup is The Foldie Ride by Brompton, which will attract 1,000 cyclists for the 40-kilometer event. The Foldie Ride is specially designed for the growing number of folding bike users in Singapore.
Additionally, the Speedway SEA Championship is back for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Teams from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Indonesia, as well as Singapore, are coming to compete this year.
In 2019, at the last Speedway SEA Championship, the Philippines came in first, followed by Malaysia and Vietnam in second and third places, respectively.
“Over the past 15 years, OCBC Cycle Singapore has brought in new rides and sponsors while proudly remaining Singapore’s signature mass cycling fiesta on closed roads.
Families and friends get to bond on a weekend that brings together thousands of cyclists from varied backgrounds,” said Ms Helen Wong, the group chief executive officer of OCBC, in March.
“At the same time, the competitive categories do not draw only local clubs and companies; the region’s top national cyclists – including Singapore’s – pit themselves against one another.
We hope to continue leveraging OCBC Cycle as a platform to galvanise people and communities.”
For Singapore’s youngest cycling aficionados, the Mighty Savers Kids Ride will be held on May 11. It’s open to children from the ages of 2 to 12.
And for those who prefer to bike on their own, there’s also the OCBC Cycle Virtual Rides, which is scheduled from May 11 to June 10. Participants may join a 100km virtual ride or a 500km virtual ride. /TISG
Read also: Speedway SEA Championship returns for OCBC Cycle 2024