The Ghana Cycling Association (GCA) on Thursday launched the 5th International Cycling Tour of Ghana dubbed "Tour Du Ghana".

The 1,117-kilometer race is being used as basis for selecting a formidable team to represent the country at next year's All Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria. The race begins on Tuesday, December 3, through to 7 - starting from the offices of the Pepsi Cola Company in Accra on the first day and ends at Mankessim.

The rest of the tour would take the competing cyclists to Cape Coast, Takoradi, Kumasi, Koforidua through Somanya and back to Accra for the final criterion.

Launching the tour, Peter Affort, Chairman of the GCA, said three teams would be representing Ghana in the tour along side other West African countries like Cote D' Ivoire, Benin, Burkina Faso and Togo.

The three Ghanaian teams are being selected by the Technical Committee of the GCA based on their previous performances at similar competitions. Affort said the committee is going to ensure that the best cyclists are selected for the event. He expressed appreciation to companies, are supporting the event to make it a reality.

Pepsi Cola Company is donating the yellow jersey for the leader while Pens and Plastics Limited would give the blue and white jersey for the first cyclist who wins by points. Wienco and Novotel Hotel would give the green and blue jersey respectively for the best fighting cyclist and fair play cyclist while Wooden would provide the most elegant cyclists with a white jersey.

Other sponsors of the event are Germini Life Insurance Company, provides insurance cover for the cyclist with Irani Brothers, Accra City News, Chez Lien Resturant as the other sponsors of the event.