KUALA LUMPUR: Taiping will once again come alive with the organisation of Taiping Heritage Ride 2025 or Taiping Ride 2.0 on Nov 30, a cycling event that is expected to gather at least 2,000 participants from home and abroad.
Taiping MP Wong Kah Woh said the cycling programme, which will start 7am at Dataran Warisan Taiping, has received an overwhelming response with over 1,700 entries so far, surpassing the initial target of 1,500 participants.
"The original closing date was supposed to be on Sunday (Aug 24), but since we are still receiving many enquiries, we have extended the registration period by another month, and we are targeting at least 2,000 cyclists to take part," he told a press conference during the launch of the Taiping Heritage Ride 2025 here on Thursday (Aug 21).
Wong, who is also the Deputy Education Minister, said 200 special slots will be offered free of charge to students from Taiping, compared to 150 slots last year.
The event offers three categories: 90km, 60km and 20km, traversing Sepetang, Simpang Empat and Kamunting.
Wong said Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM) ís also facilitating access to the event by providing an Express Bicycle Coach, which allows participants to bring their bicycles directly to Taiping conveniently.
He said this initiative would open up opportunities for more cycling enthusiasts to participate in the prestigious programme.
Wong also expressed his appreciation to the main sponsors, including Kademy Sdn Bhd, Alliance Bank, Quest International University, Farm Fresh, Perak Transit, Allianz Malaysia Berhad, Menteri Besar Incorporated, as well as government agencies such as the Taiping Municipal Council, the Larut, Matang and Selama District and Land Office and the police.
Commenting on the impact of the programme on Taiping town, he said the name 'Heritage Ride' signifies heritage, aligning with Taiping's position as a historic town steeped in cultural values, including the country's first museum, prison and railway station.
He said the success of previous events, such as the International Youth Marching Festival that attracted 20,000 visitors in June; the Taiping Half-Marathon with 5,500 entries from 28 countries in July; and the Taiping North Festival 2.0 with 70,000 visitors in August, underscores Taiping as a premier destination for international-class events. - Bernama
