The Tour de Timor was a great event and I’m really glad the organizers pulled it off. The positive response to the tour means it’s almost certain it will happen again next year. What I didn’t like was how the national police force (PNTL) dealt with crowd control at the finish line on Friday.

The problem was that there were no barriers. The UN Police (UNPOL), PNTL and army (F-FDTL) were all there, but it was unclear really who was in charge. The crowd of people was enormous and it was mostly children and young men and women. Understandably, everyone was very excited, but with no barriers and little in the way of organization, there were people everywhere.

We were waiting for a sprint finish between two Australian cyclists, but people were milling about all over the place, including in the path of where the cyclists were to come hurtling along.

So how did the security forces deal with this mass of people? Well, the army just stood around, some armed with automatic weapons. A female UNPOL officer did her best to organize people. The PNTL, on the other hand, went around kicking, hitting and shoving people, including young men and women.

It really threatened to sour the occasion for me. Have the PNTL been taught nothing about how to deal with peaceful crowds? I just want to reiterate that there were NO BARRIERS at the finish line and people were being told to stay behind imaginary lines.

At one point I thought the aggressiveness of the PNTL was going to cause a riot. Despite having a camera in my hand and a media tag around my neck, I too was shoved by the PNTL.

Just as things had calmed a little, the geniuses from Digicel almost caused another rukus by throwing T-shirts into the crowd. Later on, the PNTL officers linked arms and stomped up and down the road screaming at people and knocking them out of the way.

I took a photo of one of the particularly aggressive PNTL officers. You can see it here.

Perhaps my view of the PNTL’s behaviour is slightly distorted because I was very hot and trying to get my story and photos, so I’m interested to hear thoughts from other people who were there.

I took this photo yesterday and I rather like it for some reason so thought I'd post it here.

I'm told that during the first leg of Tour de Timor, one rider ended up with a cracked hip and had to be taken to the national hospital in Dili. There were at least two other spills. I think this shows they aren't exaggerating when they say the Tour de Timor might well be the most challenging bike tour ever staged.

And the first day is the "easy" day. The roads only get worse from hereon in. Just wait until day four. Could be a few more casualties, but let's hope nothing serious.

Australian riders filled the top 12 places at the end of stage one of the inaugural Tour de Timor, which kicked off in East Timor’s capital Dili this morning.

Neil Van der Ploeg (3:58.12) was the first to finish, coming in ahead of Mark Frendo (3:59.50) and Brendan Brooks (3:59.50), while East Timor’s Joao dos Santos and Jacinto da Costa finished in 29th and 30th respectively out of the field of 280.

Another Australian, Tory Thomas, was the first woman over the line in Baucau district at the end of the 130-kilometer stage.

The above results were called and texted to me. Click here for my story on AFP about the start of the race.

Addendum: Just a quick note to say that the last time I went to Baucau on the back of a motorbike (two of us were on the bike), I think it took about four hours for us to get there.

From an SMS:

Now talking is cheaper! TT has reduced the calls tariffs. Per second billing after the 1st minute. TT — Happy People!