Sapic: Belgrade-Banja Luka race is symbol of unity of Serb people in Serbia and RS

Illustration: Pixabay/Th G

President of the Provisional Authority of the City of Belgrade Aleksandar Sapic said today at the opening ceremony fir the 18th International Bicycle Race Belgrade-Banja Luka 2024 that the event represents much more than a race, and that it is a symbol of the unity of the Serb people in Serbia and the Serb Republic (RS, the Serb entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina).

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He said that the race's sporting profile is getting raised from year to year, with more and more high-quality competitors participating.

"But the most important thing is that it connects two lands where the same people live. They are crossing a border that does not exist during this race and which essentially does not exist for us either, because we are one nation, we have to protect each other, to help each other, especially in the moment we live today," Sapic said as he declared the start of the race.

He added that it is a great honor that the City of Belgrade has the opportunity to support it and wished good luck to all competitors.

Sapic, together with race director Vladimir Kuvalja, signed the flag of Serbia, with which he then signaled to the cyclists that the race can begin.

Before the start, the national anthem of the Republic of Serbia, Boze Pravde (God of Justice), as well as the anthem of the RS were sounded.

The head of the representative office of the RS in Belgrade, Mladjan Cicovic, the Bosnia and Herzegovina ambassador to Serbia, Aleksandar Vranjes, the president of the board of directors of the Belgrade Cycling Association, Jelena Loncarevic, and Vladimir Kuvalja were all present.

The international bicycle race Belgrade-Banja Luka is held under the slogan "Serbia and RS Together" - and for the 18th time in a row this event is organized by the cycling associations of the RS and Serbia in cooperation with the cycling club BSK from Banja Luka.

Cyclists rode a circular race yesterday in Obrenovac, a suburban Belgrade municipality, while today the stage from Belgrade to Bijeljina started.

175 cyclists from 40 countries are participating in the race. The event will end on Sunday, the last stage begining in Doboj, while the finishing line is in Banja Luka.

(Telegraf.rs)