Tour de Borobudur to cover six tourist attractions

The international cycling race of Tour de Borobudur, scheduled on Nov 2-3, 2019, with 1,700
domestic and foreign participating cyclists, will pass through six tourist attractions along its route in
Central Java Province.
"The number of participants in Tour de Borobudur always increases from year to year, as it always
offers new routes, experiences, and challenges in each of its stages," Sinoeng R. Rachmadi, head of
the Central Java Sports, Youth Affairs, and Tourism office, noted here on Wednesday.
Some 500 cyclists will take part in the first stage that will start from Blenduk Church in Semarang and
pass Demak Square, Mrapen Eternal Flame, Salatiga City Hall, and finish in De Tjolomadoe
Karanganyar
The second stage, in which 1,700 cyclists will participate, will start from De Tjolomadoe Karanganyar
and pass the Prambanan Temple complex, and finally conclude in Borobudur Temple.
The 19th Tour de Borobudur's route, spanning 265 kilometers, will be guarded by some 3,500 police
officers, as the cyclists pass 11 regions in Central Java.
Initiated by the Semarang Bicycle Association (Samba), Tour de Borobudur is organized on a yearly
basis. Initially, the race was held for just a day, with the start line from Semarang and finish line in
Borobudur Temple.
Since 2016, the race format has been changed to two days, with different routes in every event.
Coordinator of Tour de Borobudur XIX/2019 Hendra Dharmanto stated that this year, the cycling race
applies the "go green" concept by swapping plastic packaging with other environment-friendly
materials.
"We will not use plastic packaging to wrap snacks. We will provide many water stations. Thus, the
concept is go green, free of plastic while enjoying the natural scenery of Central Java," he stated.
Borobudur Temple is known worldwide for its primeval and massive mountain-shaped building,
scenic reliefs, statues, and stupas.
The world's largest Buddhist temple has been popular worldwide, especially after the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization included the site of worship on its World Heritage
list in 1991. Built during the reign of a king from the Saliendra Dynasty between 750 and 842 AD, the
temple is located in Mendut Village, Magelang District, Central Java Province, some 42 kilometers
from the city of Yogyakarta, at the center of Java Island.
Borobudur Temple, with a huge step pyramid structure made from giant stone blocks, is built on a hill
and surrounded by valleys and hills.