Barong Melali Community Ride Draws 335 Cyclists Across Gianyar
A community cycling event organised by the Barong Cycling Team drew 335 riders over a 140.5-kilometre route from Batubulan through Gianyar and neighbouring regencies on 29 August 2026, with Gianyar Police deploying 20 personnel to support…
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· Event date: · 3 min read
Gianyar — — A total of 335 cyclists from 73 clubs took part in the Barong Melali community ride starting and finishing at UC Silver on Jalan Raya Batubulan, Sukawati, Gianyar, on Saturday, 29 August 2026, according to regional broadcaster RRI.
Organised by the Barong Cycling Team, the ride was designed as a recreational event rather than a race, with participants divided into short- and long-distance categories. The available reporting notes the existence of a shorter route but does not specify its distance.
The long-distance course covered approximately 140.5 kilometres and linked coastal, inland and highland areas in Gianyar and neighbouring regencies. According to RRI, cyclists departed Batubulan and passed through Tohpati, the Prof. Dr. Ida Bagus Mantra bypass, Pesinggahan, Dawan, Sidemen, Sangkan Gunung, Batusesa, Besakih, Bukit Jambul, Klungkung, Bangli, Susut, Tampaksiring, Goa Gajah, Kemenuh, Sukawati and Celuk before returning to the finish at UC Silver in Batubulan.
Safety and cultural programme
RRI reported that the event received security support from Gianyar Police and Sukawati Police, with personnel deployed along the route. Gianyar Police operations chief Kompol I Nyoman Sukadana led an early-morning readiness briefing at 4:00 a.m. WITA, attended by supervisory officers and 20 assigned personnel, before the cyclists set off.
The official programme began at 6:08 a.m. WITA with the singing of Indonesia’s national anthem, Indonesia Raya. Riders then departed at 6:15 a.m. WITA following a launch that featured baleganjur gamelan music and a Barong dance performance by Sanggar Nayaat Batubulan, integrating Balinese performing arts into the start of the sporting event.
Event chairman Gede Riza Rhyza Helces described Barong Melali as a recreational and community activity aimed at cycling enthusiasts, stressing to participants that it was not a competition and that safety should remain the priority throughout the ride. Police presence at several points along the course was intended to support the cyclists and other road users, according to the same report.
The use of traditional music and Barong dance at the start highlighted the cultural character of Batubulan and Gianyar, where Barong performances are a regular feature of local tourism offerings. The ride therefore combined a long-distance community cycling experience with elements of local culture and landscape.
Event data
- Participants: 335 cyclists.
- Represented clubs: 73.
- Long route distance: approximately 140.5 kilometres.
- Police personnel assigned: 20.
- Start of official programme: 6:08 a.m. WITA.
- Rider departure: 6:15 a.m. WITA.
Context
Barong Melali was staged from Batubulan, a village in Gianyar known for its Barong dance performances and silver jewellery workshops, and connected rural, cultural and inland areas across Gianyar and neighbouring regencies. By including locations such as Besakih, Bukit Jambul, Tampaksiring and Goa Gajah, the route provided a wide geographic footprint beyond Bali’s main southern resort corridors, linking community cycling with views of temples, rice terraces and village centres.
RRI’s report covers this 2026 edition of Barong Melali as a one-day event. It does not state whether the organisers intend to develop the ride into a recurring mass-participation or tourism product, nor does it provide data on visitor spending, accommodation demand or detailed traffic and medical arrangements.
Sources
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