VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's most prestigious cycling tournament, the 23rd HCM City Television (HTV) Cup 2011, opens today, April 21, in HCM City.

Back in the saddle: Cyclists race in the southern province of Ben Tre. Domestic riders will start the 23rd HCM City Television Cup in HCM City today. (Photo: VNS)

The event will cover an overall distance of 1,000km in nine different stages.

The route is planned to kick start in HCM City, head to Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Phan Thiet, Phan Rang, Nha Trang, and Central Highlands Da Lat and Bao Loc cities before returning to HCM City next Saturday, said Nguyen Quy Hoa, head of the organising committee.

Cyclists will challenge with road works and bad traffic likely to clog some of the stages.

"This is a large-scale race, and the organising board will try its best to ensure that cyclists finish safely," said Hoa.

The organisers decided to increase the points in mountain pass stages in order to raise the competitiveness for the red jersey (King of Mountain).

This year's event has not been extended to include foreign teams because the Viet Nam Cycling Federation wants to test the real abilities of domestic teams through difficult races, said organisers.

Special awards will be given to cyclists who win the yellow jersey or the overall best time winner; green jersey, best sprinter; red jersey; white jersey, best young cyclist.

The 17-stage event last year finished with Tuguldur Tuulkhangai from Mongolia won the yellow jersey – an individual title for overall leader, Mai Nguyen Hung of Sai Gon Plant Protection 1 secured the red jersey, and Dong Thap's Do Tuan Anh claimed the overall green jersey.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News