Tour of the tropics

Wellingtonian Jan Nye, 59, who is currently based in Dili working as an international development adviser for the East Timorese Ministry of Education, was one of nearly 300 cyclists who competed in the inaugural Tour de Timor, a 450km, 5-day race held in late August. The oldest female competitor in the race, Nye said day four was the most challenging leg of the race demanding a climb from sea level to 1835m over a distance of 70km. “Some parts were so steep we had difficulty even pushing our bikes and were amazed that people could ride up these hills,” she said. The Tour de Timor is part of celebrations commemorating the 10th anniversary of the petition seeking independence from Indonesia. It is hoped that it will become an annual event attracting high calibre cyclists and cycling enthusiasts from around the world.