The year 2016 saw the launch of the “SLT Speed Up Cycle Sawariya” – the country’s longest cross-country cycle race, by Sri Lanka Telecom. The launch was announced on the 21^st of July 2016 and immediately took the country by storm, as such a venture had never been attempted before in the history of the sport of Cycling in Sri Lanka. The men’s race began on the 27^th of July in Colombo and concluded on the 31^st of that same month in Batticaloa. The women’s race also began on the same day in Colombo but concluded that very day in Ambalangoda. The event enjoyed tremendous publicity and concluded in success thanks to the excellent planning of SLT with the support and partnership of the Cycle Federation of Sri Lanka.

On the 30^th of June 2017, Sri Lanka Telecom announced the approach of the 2^nd annual “SLT Speed Up Cycle Sawariya”, at a press conference held at the Cinnamon Grand. The men’s race is scheduled to begin on the 25^th of July 2017 in Colombo and end in Embilipitiya on the 29^th of the same month. The overall winner will receive a handsome cash prize of Rs. 1,000,000.00/-, while the overall best team will be awarded a total of Rs. 100,000.00/-.

The women’s race will be a single day event, beginning in Ratnapura and ending in Embilipitiya on the 29^th of July. The winner of the women’s race will secure a cash prize worth Rs. 200,000.00/-.

SLT has always mirrored in its own products some of the characteristics shown by professional cyclists, such as stamina and endurance. In an effort to boost the development of the sport in Sri Lanka and further popularize the SLT Speedup concept, the country’s leading ICT Solution Provider has dedicated a considerable sum as the overall value of the prizes for the winners of this year’s “Cycle Sawariya”, to reward their effort and build up their careers. Thus, ensuring a brighter future for the sport of Cycling in Sri Lanka.