Why cycling Sri Lanka is more than mere sport

by Sharmila Meadows

The drone captures a sandy beach, swept by the Indian ocean. To its side, the open road frames Sri Lanka’s lush interior. In time, the camera will eye paddy fields, tea plantations and scorched red earth before closing its lens at a hospital in Puttur, Jaffna. Under its gaze, pelotons of blue-clad cyclists traverse this majestic landscape for a cause that speaks into a nation’s past and works for a better future.  It’s the story of a charity. It’s the story of an island.

We are en route with Trek4Ceylon’s annual charity bicycle tour of Sri Lanka in aid of St Luke’s Methodist Mission Hospital, Jaffna – a tour that has become a fixture in the island’s social calendar. “I’ve been involved with the charity ride since 2017. We were a few Thomians wanting to help rebuild Sri Lanka. Medical infrastructure felt a direct way to impact communities” explains David Rasiah, co-founder and organiser of Trek4Ceylon’s charity bicycle tour.

“We rode under the name Ride4Ceylon, but that ride was only ever a fundraising tool, not a charity itself, as we passed over our funds to others for their charitable work. It meant we didn’t have control over how the funds we collected were being used.” So, in 2024 Trek4Ceylon was established as a new charity to collect and deploy its own funds. The same year, the new charity agreed a multiyear commitment with St Luke’s, Puttur and, in February 2025, held its own Trek4Ceylon charity cycle ride for the hospital. 

Founded in 1824, St Luke’s Hospital ceased hospital functions in 2007, leaving a considerable infrastructure gap for its 100,000 strong community. Trek4Ceylon’s Project Manager Julian Brainerd explains how the charity has committed to restore the hospital’s buildings in order to recommence hospital services, and also to provide primary care functions. The first year of partnership has laid essential groundwork - including contracts, permissions and an architect – enabling construction to commence this second year, when the project will also benefit from the funds collected by the 2026 cycle tour.

The 2026 tour gathered an international team of just under 50 cyclists, representing 11 different countries, including a strong contingent of Sri Lankans, both local and from the global diaspora. Riding in three distinct cycling pelotons, grouped by speed and ability, to ensure equal accessiblity for casual and elite cyclists, the tour was again expertly lead by Ride Chair, Trinushka Perera and Ride Captain, Pradeep Gnanasekaram, with support from Chief Marshal, Senesh De Mel.

Following a launch at the UK High Commission, this year’s ride was flagged off before dawn on 10 February by His Excellency, Matthew Duckworth, the Australian High Commissioner, at Cinnamon Grand Colombo. From there, it  caught dawn at Panadura and Beruwala on an 112km opening leg to Galle. Day Two continued the coastal caper with a 120km ride to Hambantota. Peacock country, paddy field country, where tour videographer Damindu follows pelotons passing gracious green rice fields, contrasting with the tourist throngs of Dickwella.
The tour’s pre-dawn starts are made manageable by the shared dedication of the cyclists, support crew and drivers, but Day Three offers welcome respite as we transfer by coach to Dambulla.  Voyaging up country, we sight elephants, peacocks, monkeys, wading birds, cattle and street dogs. This is Sri Lanka they seem to say and obligingly grant us passage.

Then Day Four deposited the most intense challenge – over 200km through the red earth of Northern Province, past Medawachchiya and Vavuniya to the baking heat of Reecha.  “The defining moment was on the brutal 210km Stage 3 ride from Dambulla,” recalls cyclist Waruna Kumarage from Sydney. “Multiple punctures, mechanical issues, rolling hills, heat, fatigue, but none of these broke the rhythm of the group. Every disruption was met with teamwork. Every rider committed to the wheel in front.”

Ride Captain Pradeep agrees. “The road from Dambulla tested us with headwinds, crosswinds, wild elephants and unforgiving heat. It wasn’t strength alone that carried Pelotons 1 and 2 across the finish – it was the unity among the riders.”  For Peloton 3, comprising less experienced cyclists, completing 120km that day surpassed ambitions and proved a significant high for the whole tour.

The final day was a smoother 70km run through historic Elephant Pass and Kopay to St Luke’s. A journey’s end, a vision realised. “Ending at St Luke’s reminds us why we do this,” says David, “each year, we try to give our cyclists a credible cycling challenge and different view of Sri Lanka, but Sri Lanka’s people are always the reason we ride.” 

Trek4Ceylon extends its sincerest thanks to its sponsors EPOS, Cinnamon Grand, Lumala, Asiri Hospitals, Sri Lanka Police, Sri Lanka Tourist Promotion Bureau, Derena TV, Wijeya Newspapers and HOT Travels, without whom none of this would be possible.

Trek4Ceylon’s next tour runs from 2-7 March 2027. Registration opens 1 May. Visit www.trek4ceylon.com for details.