Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam gives green light for world-class sport to return in May with track cycling’s Nations Cup

The government agrees on deadline day to approve the safety measures proposed by Hong Kong Cycling Association to stage May 13-16 event at Tseung Kwan O

Around 450 riders and officials from top cycling nations have entered the four-day event, with Covid-19 quarantine requirements likely to be relaxed

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Sarah Lee will be back riding on her home track at the Nations Cup in May. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 4:03pm, 19 Apr 2021Updated: 4:17pm, 19 Apr 2021

The track cycling Nations Cup in May will become the first major international sporting event in Hong Kong in more than a year after the government on Monday approved organisers’ Covid-19 safety measures.

The Hong Kong Cycling Association (HKCA) set Monday as the deadline to determine the fate of the May 13-16 event, which will consist of 450 riders and officials from around the world, or they would call it off because of insufficient time to prepare.

But the good news came just in time and the governing body can now start the countdown to the world-class competition.

“Our understanding is the government has approved the event,” said a relieved association chairman Leung Hung-tak on Monday. “We are still waiting for the details but at least we know the event can go ahead.

Sarah Lee competes against Liubov Basova of Ukraine in the keirin at the Hong Kong Velodrome in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: Jonathan Wong

“We have been discussing with the government since the Lunar New Year regarding the event’s precautionary measures because it involves riders and officials from different parts of the world and will it pose a big challenge to the city’s pandemic control infrastructure. Thanks to concerted efforts from the office-bearers and association secretariat, we finally made it happen.