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Lithe and muscular cyclists walked about the lobby of the plush four-star Hotel Bumiminang last week in Padang, West Sumatra, clad in jerseys bearing international sponsors’ names. Outside, banners and posters advertising the first Tour de Singkarak fluttered optimistically in the city streets.

The 462-kilometer bike race with a track that cut across the province’s top destination spots, including Padang, Bukittinggi and Sawahlunto, was strategically geared to highlight the region’s lush green hills, quiet valleys and serene rice fields to the 25 participating teams.

Both local and central government officials hailed the inaugural tour as the ideal way to boost the region’s profile. But the three-day competition drew mixed reactions from locals, many of whom expected it to be an instant cash cow.

Jero Wacik, the minister of culture and tourism, said that the goal of the race was, “To fill all the hotels, fill all the taxis and ensure the locals receive the profits.” Indeed, hotels in the towns along the route were at maximum capacity during the tour, from April 29 to May 3.

Arman, a taxi driver stationed near Hotel Bumi Minang, didn’t concern himself much with the hype, saying the event had little effect on his work. “There’s a little bit of additional money but the road closures are a hindrance because we have to wait hours for them to open,” he said.

Ridha Mulyani, on the other hand, was proud to have the tour held in her hometown. Though it was late in the evening of a school night, Ridha brought her two young children to the Tour de Singkarak’s night opening concert in a sports stadium packed with locals. The Soul of Minangkabau concert featured traditional Minang medleys with contemporary music.

“I brought my children so they could learn about Minang culture, because if outsiders are getting to know it, why shouldn’t they?” Ridha said.

Outside the stadium were red tents lined with local handicrafts, snacks and drinks. The provincial department of trade set up the stands for free so that local traders could help advertise the region’s products. But while plenty of cars were parked in front of the kiosks, the bazaar was relatively empty.

Desi Manita, a vendor of Muslim wear and embroidered fabrics, was disappointed. “These bazaars usually help me get customers,” she said.

Tourists are usually introduced to such bazaars by an organizing committee prior to the opening ceremony of a major event, but Desi said that this wasn’t the case with the Tour de Singkarak.

“Except for the food stalls, it is very quiet,” she said, as a car parked in front of her stall, blocking her from passing pedestrians and potential customers.

The tour kicked off with a short time-trial route around Padang on a heavy and humid Thursday afternoon. At the Padang Beach starting bay, medics, drivers and road cleaners bore the same white Tour de Singkarak T-shirts.

Vendri, one of three doctors on duty at the race, loitered with his colleagues next to parked ambulances. Though the possibility of bad weather worried him, the doctor was optimistic about the outcome of the race from the tourism perspective.

“There are 15 international teams, so at least 15 countries will know more about West Sumatra,” he said.

At the starting line, cyclists were bent at the ready at 45-degree angles, toned thigh hamstrings and quadriceps filling out tight cycling shorts. Six young women in denim miniskirts and Tour de Singkarak T-shirts pampered the cyclists awaiting their turn, shading them with umbrellas and wiping the sweat off their brows. VIPs and local government officials sat under the shade of their tents, wearing their own tour T-shirts.

As two MCs fired up the crowds with their blazing commentaries and anecdotes, teams were released to push through the sweltering heat of the city.

Among the crowd of spectators by the roadblocks was Dewi Rahma, cradling her 20-month-old son. She couldn’t have been more pleased with the turnout of foreign athletes.

“Most foreigners only really know about Bali or Lombok,” she said. “So it’s good that West Sumatra is going international.”

After the time trial in Padang, jerseys unzipped and sweat streaming, the cyclists returned to their respective tents for a rest.

“They just bring their bikes and park them at the tents,” said Augustina Ericha, who was trying to sell paintings at a stall in a handicraft market behind the tents. Her expectations were far from met.

“This is an international event, which means there is a huge opportunity to elevate West Sumatra as a whole and eo sell a lot of local products,” Augustina said. “Yet there are 15 [international] teams here, and no one has bothered to bring them to this art market.”

From the second the teams left Padang, right up until the finish line at Lake Singkarak, the public turned out to witness the spectacle of 150 cyclists pedaling past, accompanied by a convoy of support and press vehicles. Racing through the towns of Bukittinggi and Sawahlunto, students in their school, scouts and sports uniforms stood by their school gates alongside their teachers waving miniature red-and-white flags, cheering on the riders. Farmers paused in the fields to watch the cyclists speed by.

Some lined up by the roadside in their pajamas, while others were decked out in traditional gold silk Minangkabau songket , pounding on traditional percussion instruments, waiting for the action to arrive.

N. Karunarathne, the chief commissioner of the International Cycling Union, said that cycling was unique because “the riders go to the people, passing through the communities themselves.”

Most cyclists only caught a glimpse of the natural beauty they passed, their eyes remaining on the prize during the race. But the fervor of the people and allure of the countryside did not escape them.

Ghader Mizbani, frontrunner of the Tabriz Petrochemical team from Iran, commended the region for its undulating terrain. “It is very beautiful and the roads are small and hilly, making it a good place to race,” he said.

Mizbani and the other riders could not have missed the reception from the heritage town of Sawahlunto. With stunning panoramic vistas as a backdrop, the cyclists were passionately greeted by cheerleaders, gymnasts and traditional song and dance performances.

The town’s mayor, Amran Nur, was pleased with the response from the community. “They were orderly and grateful that the race passed their town. They applauded, even though they didn’t know where the riders were from,” he said.

Clad in a velvet ethnic Minangkabau costume, a member of the town’s welcoming committee, Syaiful, echoed the residents’ sentiments when he expressed his hopes that the visitors would be impressed by Sawahlunto and return with their families.

At the landmark Gadang Clock Tower in Bukittinggi, near the finish line for the second stage of the race, Kari’s food stall was in a prime location. “My business has increased by 5 percent since this morning,” he said, cooking fried rice for customers, all sporting the ubiquitous promotional T-shirts.

Baim, who manages the Aisyah Chalik souvenir shop nearby, wasn’t sure the economic gain from the tour would spread out evenly to all traders. “For the hotels and food vendors, this event is good,” he said, adding that it was not necessarily the same for those selling handicrafts.

“Of course the tour helps,” said Yon Hendri, general manager of The Hills Bukittinggi Hotel, where the cyclists and race delegates stayed. “All hotels are automatically full, but it’s only for two days.”

Yon said that the province needed to make sure their visitors’ stay was memorable to ensure they returned.

But many locals, especially the traders, have yet to grasp that tourism is an image-building sector that requires time to ensure a long-term impact.

According to Yon, the local mentality of wanting to reap instant profits has to change. Although a huge event such as the Tour de Singkarak may assist a region, it is not enough to depend on.

“You have to be able to stand on your own two feet,” he said.

West Sumatra’s natural landscape and unique Minangkabau culture does have the pulling power to appeal to tourists and some areas have seen a considerable boost in recent years.

Visitors to Sawahlunto, said Amran, the mayor, jumped from 14,000 in 2004 to 500,000 in 2008. And according to the head of culture and tourism for West Sumatra, James Hellyward, Padang’s airport last year saw Indonesia’s highest increase in foreign tourist arrivals, which jumped more than 100 percent from the previous year.

Cody Stevenson, competing for Team Budget Forklifts of Australia, said: “It’s always hard with a cycle race in its infancy to promote tourism. But if it keeps developing, within three to five years it’ll be a good tool for tourism, because as the race gains more exposure, it’ll get more foreign teams.”

Cody cited the Qing Hai Lake Tour held in July each year in China as an example of using cycling races to foster tourism.

“Over the years the Qing Hai Lake Tour has helped promote the region,” he said.

Kriswo, a rider with the domestic Jabar Cycling team, said word about West Sumatra would spread through events such as these.

“We’ll go back and inform the people at home of how beautiful the panorama is. We’re happy to be here and will tell the people of West Java about it,” he said.

Ric Rodriguez, team manager of Jazy Sports Beacon, said, “This is exactly what I am trying to encourage the people in the Philippines to do, because there is no other sport [quite like cycling] that can be used as a vehicle to promote tourism.”