The inaugural Cyclo Race scheduled as a novelty event for this year's Angkor Wat Bike Rally has eight registered contestants but no sponsors.

Bike Rally manager Nicky McGavin said this was because by last Friday only two contestants had registered for the race, and she was unwilling to approach sponsors to part with cash for such a small field.

But by registration's close, six more contenders had emerged. So the Cyclo Race will take place.

"It gives us something to build on for next year," McGavin said. "And we learned from this year's mistake, which was not to close registration earlier.

"As always, people leave things to the last minute."

All contestants in the Cyclo Race are Phnom Penh expatriates, and six of the racing cyclos have been loaned to the race organisers by the Cyclo centre, a Phnom Penh NGO that looks after the interests of cyclo drivers.

The two other two cyclos were provided by Siem Reap's Golden Banana guesthouse.