The annual competition which seeks to harness cycling talents-the Cowbell cycling challenge-has been launched in Accra.

This years challenge, which happens to be the maiden edition on regional basis, gets underway on Monday July 3 with Decathlon as the lead sponsor.

It is an individual competition open to the general public with over one hundred and fifty professional cyclists expected registered.

The Cowbell Cycling challenge is the flagship race of the Cycling Federation of Ghana in collaboration with Promasidor Ghana Limited under its Cowbell brand which is now synonymous with sports.

The contest was born out of the desire to have a world class race that local cyclists could participate in every year as a way of taking their cycling careers and performance to a totally new height.

With a total prize package of GHc 20,000 for the first fifteen athletes plus a mountain bike as well as jerseys, a glittering trophy and a medal to the ultimate champion, this will be a much improved reward for the winners and participants in relative to the last.

The brands manager of Cowbell, Joseph Ashong at the unveiling on Friday has pledged that they will continue their unflinching support for the sport as they hope to contribute towards the growth of lesser-recognized sports in Ghana.

“We are developing cycling to the international standard,” he said. “We are given back to the community as part of our responsibility so we are urging everyone to come out on the 3^rd of July-which is a holiday in Ghana-and cheer up the cyclists.”

Jeffrey Manzan Owusu, The Greater Accra Director of Sports, was full of praise for Cowbell‘s support to cycling which has spanned over a period of ten years.

The competition will start at 9am at the Black Stars Square (Independence Square) go through some principal streets of Accra, through Teshie to Tema and then Back to Accra before finally ending the 84 kilometres race at the Junction Mall at Nungua.