March 13, 2007 (Lahore, Pakistan) — We’ve received an update on the Tour of Pakistan 2007. Today is a rest day that riders spent in Lahore. The racing resumes tomorrow on Wednesday, March 14 with Stage 9, Lahore to Gujrat, 116km, after which there are two more stages.

GC after Stage 6

1. Robin Read (New Zealand)
2. Justin Kerr (New Zealand) 0:04 min
3. Mohammad Asif (Pak) 0:17 min
4. Ghulam Abbas (Pak) 0:23 min
5. Dil Sher Ali (Pak) 0:24 min
6. Larry Zimich (Can) BH Bicycles/Epicentre/Team Integrale) 0:25 min

New Zealand’s Kerr Wins 8th Stage at Tour de Pakistan

staff Report Pakistan Daily Times

LAHORE, Pakistan: Justin Kerr of New Zealand won the intense 8th stage of the 13th Tour de Pakistan International Cycle Race on Monday. Kerr, the winner of second stage from Hyderabad to Moro, surged forward some 25kms from the finishing line but not before Sri Lanka’s Sudeera Nilanga, Suwaris Prema Chandra and Canada’s Matthew Usborne gave him a taxing time on the road, according to a spokesman for the organisers.

Kerr completed the distance of 160kms from Sahiwal to Lahore in 4 hours, 8 minutes and 52 seconds under overcast skies. Runner-up Nilanga, the winner of the sixth stage from Bahawalpur to Multan, was eight seconds behind Kerr. Another Sri Lankan Chandra was quite close but was outpaced by his countryman with a margin of just 4 seconds. Usborne, who won the 7th stage in a brilliant display of cycling, had to content with fourth place. Naveed Ahmad and Dil Sher Ali, both from Pakistan WAPDA, secured fifth and sixth places respectively, all clocking 4 hours, 9 minutes and 4 seconds.

The riders started their journey from Sahiwal in foggy conditions yet the visibility was never so bad to hamper their progress. The gripping race terminated at Shaikh Zayed Islamic Centre, University of Punjab where a warm reception awaited the clearly fatigued yet determined riders. Hundreds of Lahoris present at the finishing point cheered the riders. The 9th stage of the event will kick off on Wednesday (tomorrow) after a day’s rest here. The cyclists will cover 115kms to reach Gujrat. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cycling Federation has announced the individual and team standings of the race as of the 6th stage from Bahawalpur to Multan.