Accra-based cycling clubs swept almost all the prizes at the 2002 Franco-Ghana Cycling Competition dubbed "La Route de Kumasi" held in Kumasi on Saturday.

The event, the first competitive cycling in Kumasi, attracted about 90 cyclists from 13 clubs from six out of the country's 10 regions and they competed in races covering six kilometres, four kilometres and 30 kilometres.

John Zormelo of River Park Club of Accra clocked 57 minutes eight seconds to win the pool race and was followed at the second position by Francis Tetteh who clocked 57 minutes 12 seconds with Joseph Annan of Gutten club of Accra placing third in a time of 57 minutes 14 seconds.

Aminu Osumanu of Tamale Youth Stars followed at the fourth position in a time of 57 minutes 20 seconds and Emmanuel Wayo of Accra All Stars Club took the fifth position in a time of 57 minutes 30 seconds.

In the individual time trial, Henry Djangmah of River Park Club won the race in a time of 10 minutes 26 seconds and was followed at the second position by Kofi Newton of Nippon Club in a time of 10 minutes 36 seconds while Emmanuel Wayo of All Stars took the third position in a time of 10 minutes 41 seconds and Sarpeh Nunoo of Young Stars took the fourth position in a time of 10 minutes 50 seconds.

Unity Migro and All Stars clocked seven minutes and seven minutes two seconds respectively to win the first and second places in the team time trial and Sunyani River Park came third in a time of seven minutes 16 seconds while Nippon and Gutten clubs all of Accra took the fourth and fifth positions respectively clocking seven minutes 30 seconds and seven minutes 35 seconds.

In a message read on his behalf, Mr Edward Osei-Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports, entreated the cyclists to be devoted to the sport so as to help them win laurels for the nation at international meetings, stressing that it was high time Ghana got closer to the other disciplines.

He commended the national cyclists for their wonderful performance at two international competitions held recently in Togo and Cote d'Ivoire which he noted, had won them an invitation to next year's All Africa Games to be held in Abuja, Nigeria.

Mr Kossi Mathieu of the French Embassy in Ghana, said with the growing interest in cycling among the youth, there was the need to hold such competitions at regular intervals in all the regions of the country.