Dili - Australian cyclists Friday dominated East Timor's first international bicycle race organized to mark the 10th anniversary of the tiny nation's independence vote.

Neil Van der Ploeg was first in the 450-kilometre Tour de Timor to win 15,000 dollars in prize money from a total pool of 75,000 dollars.

"It's great. It's fun," Van Der Ploeg said after crossing the finish line.

Australian Benjamin Grieve-Johnson came second, while another Australian, Tory Thomas, won the women's race.

East Timor will mark the 10th anniversary of a United Nations-sponsored vote on independence from Indonesian rule on Sunday.

The former Portuguese colony achieves formal independence in May 2002 after a period of UN stewardship.

The Tour de Timor is an effort by President Jose Ramos Horta to promote tourism, sport and peace in the impoverished nation.

About 300 participants, local and international, competed in the race which took them past pristine beaches, through jungles and coffee plantations, up hills and mountains. (dpa)