KUPANG | LINTASTIMOR.ID – Nusa Tenggara Timur bersiap menorehkan sejarah baru. Untuk pertama kalinya, provinsi ini menjadi tuan rumah Tour de EnTeTe 2025, ajang balap sepeda internasional dengan lintasan terpanjang di Indonesia, membentang sejauh 1.500 kilometer melintasi Timor, Sumba, dan Flores.
Event yang akan digelar pada 10–21 September ini melibatkan peserta dari 13 negara. Gubernur NTT Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena menegaskan, Tour de EnTeTe bukan sekadar perlombaan olahraga, melainkan panggung bagi pariwisata, ekonomi rakyat, dan diplomasi budaya.
“NTT tidak boleh hanya jadi penonton. Kita harus punya event besar yang mampu menarik perhatian dunia. Dari sinilah lahir gagasan Tour de EnTeTe,” ujar Melki dengan penuh keyakinan.
Balapan akan menghadirkan 10 etape menantang, dimulai dari Kupang, melintasi Timor Tengah Utara hingga perbatasan Indonesia–Timor Leste, menuju Atambua. Etape-etape berikutnya menjelajahi Soe, Sumba, hingga puncak acara di Labuan Bajo, Manggarai Barat.
Selain menantang fisik, ajang ini juga menyalakan denyut ekonomi lokal. Setiap malam, pesta rakyat digelar, menampilkan tenun ikat, kuliner khas, dan UMKM NTT. Pemerintah pun mempercepat perbaikan infrastruktur jalan demi suksesnya event ini.
“Tour de EnTeTe adalah pertemuan olahraga, budaya, dan masa depan NTT. Dari sini kita ingin berkata: NTT siap menyambut dunia,” tegas sang gubernur.
English
KUPANG – LINTASTIMOR.ID – The eastern Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is preparing to make history with the launch of Tour de EnTeTe 2025, the country’s longest international cycling race covering an epic 1,500 kilometers across the islands of Timor, Sumba, and Flores.
Scheduled for September 10–21, the race will feature cyclists from 13 countries. Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena described the event as more than just a sporting competition—it is a showcase of tourism, cultural diplomacy, and local empowerment.
“NTT must not remain a mere spectator. We need a world-class event that captures global attention. That is why Tour de EnTeTe was born,” Melki declared.
The race unfolds in 10 stages, beginning in Kupang, crossing into Timor Tengah Utara and the Indonesian–Timor Leste border, before heading through Atambua, Soe, and Sumba. The final legs will challenge riders through Flores, culminating in a grand finish at Labuan Bajo, gateway to Komodo National Park.
Every stop along the way promises vibrant cultural celebrations, from handwoven ikat textiles to traditional cuisine and local crafts. Roads have been upgraded with central government support, ensuring both athletes and communities benefit from the legacy of the race.
“Tour de EnTeTe is where sports meet culture, where endurance meets identity. This is our way of telling the world that NTT is ready,” the Governor emphasized.
Timor Leste – Australian Style)
KUPANG – LINTASTIMOR.ID – A província de Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) prepara-se para escrever uma nova página na história do desporto internacional com a realização do Tour de EnTeTe 2025, a mais longa corrida de ciclismo da Indonésia, atravessando 1.500 quilómetros pelas ilhas de Timor, Sumba e Flores.
O evento, marcado para 10 a 21 de Setembro, contará com ciclistas de 13 países. O Governador Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena sublinhou que o Tour de EnTeTe não é apenas competição, mas também uma celebração de turismo, economia popular e diplomacia cultural.
“NTT não pode ser apenas espectador. Precisamos de um evento de classe mundial que chame a atenção do mundo. Daí nasceu a ideia do Tour de EnTeTe,” afirmou o Governador com convicção.
A corrida terá 10 etapas, começando em Kupang, passando por Timor Tengah Utara, a fronteira Indonésia–Timor Leste, até Atambua. Segue-se Soe, Sumba e, finalmente, Flores, com chegada triunfal em Labuan Bajo, Manggarai Barat.
Em cada paragem haverá festa popular, com destaque para tecidos de ikat, gastronomia tradicional e artesanato local. O governo central apoiou a reabilitação das estradas, garantindo que o evento deixe benefícios diretos para as comunidades.
“O Tour de EnTeTe é encontro de desporto, cultura e futuro. É a forma de mostrar ao mundo que NTT está preparado para recebê-lo,” concluiu Melki.
