At the end of 2015, The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) held a Thailand Cycling Tour Competition, Ride to Khong’s Legendary (The Riders of Maekhong River) with the route from Nong Khai to Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, and Mukdahan, with the distance of 248.8 kilometers that was considered as the challenging race for all Thai and foreign cyclists along the beautiful route and good culture of Thai-Isan people.
The last Ride to Khong’s Legendary was consisted of 3stages divided into Point-to-Point and Circuit-to-Circuit according to standards of Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Consequently, competitors could experience world class cycling competition that was rare and novel.
Importantly, the impressing moment of Ride to Khong’s Legendary (The Riders of Maekhong River) was a moment when competitors could amore the beauty of some important attractions and scenery along the route, for example, Wat Ahong Silawad (The Navel of Mekhong), Phratart Phranom, Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, Ho Kaeo Mukdahan, and Phu Manorom, allowing cyclists to admire with local culture from attractions along the route as well as hospitality of local people who welcomed and gave morale to all competitors through their drinking water available for all cyclists throughout the route.
The last Ride to Khong’s Legendary gained good feedback from local people, Thai and foreign tourists, with the total number of competitors over than 1,200 persons. In addition, there were also some celebrities joined this competition, for example, Sum, a bass player of Clash Band, as a team member of Nich Cycling Team.
Feedback of this competition could be observed from opinions given through social media, such as Facebook and Pantip, as well as other off-line channels. Consequently, good preparation of host and organizer could be shown. Importantly, there was no accident throughout the competition. Before commencing the competition, the organizer and host also provided some knowledge and promptness to all cyclists. In addition, all cyclists also paid respect to competition’s rules completely. Accordingly, it could be deemed that the last competition was very successful.
As a result, TAT currently reorganized this activity to stress image and potential of cycling routes in Isan region under the name the Second Year Ride to Khong’s Legendary that will be held during December, 13th – 15th, 2017, through 4 Isan provinces including KhonKaen, Kalasin, Sakhon Nakhon, and Nakhon Phanom.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) told about the objective of this competition that Isan region is reselected as the route of this race because it can stress image of Isan region with variety of language, traditions, and beautiful nature as well as several places of civilization that have not been recognized by several people. Accordingly, Isan region is suitable for hosting cycling tour competition. Moreover, there are several cyclists and tourists who have been impressed by hospitality of Isan people.
Besides longer distance from 248.8 kilometers to be 300 kilometer that is considered as the challenging distance for all cyclists throughout the world, the first stage of this race is also adjusted as Critirium race for more challenging. In the second stage, cyclists will be able to challenge themselves by cycling through Khong Ping Ngu Curve on Phu Phan Mountain that is beautiful but challenging. Moreover, competitors will be able to experience with the beauty of several important attractions throughout the route as well as enjoy with the elegance of Mekhong River and surrounding nature that is considered as the new experience of tourism through cycling competition.
It is expected that there would be more Thai and foreign cyclists who would be interested in joining the Second Year Ride to Khong’s Legendary because sport tourism, especially cycling, tends to be increasingly interested by Thai and foreign tourists.
Simultaneously, this activity also helps to promote tourism of 4 provinces that are the route of this competition. Accordingly, this competition is considered as a good opportunity to generate income to Thai tourism because it’s not only cyclists that will join this competition but it is also included with cycling teams, followers, cheering teams, and audiences.
