Ulaanbaatar
Mongolian cycler wins Himalayan MTB Challenge
SportsUlaanbaatar /MONTSME/Mongolian rider Myagmarsuren Baasankhuu clinched the winning trophy in the overall category in the second edition of "The Ultimate Uttarakhand Himalayan MTB challenge", which concluded at Mussoorie on Friday, reported indiatimes.com on April 16
In a grand ceremony held at a hotel on Haridwar bypass road on Saturday, Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul distributed trophies and cash awards to the winners in overall and national category.
Thomas Thurner, professional cyclist from USA, stood second in the overall category while Bayanjargal from Mongolia bagged the third position. Paddling his way back in tough and challenging terrain, Indian Army cyclist PB Pradhan reigned supreme in the national category. Indian army cyclists took the second and third position as well.
Total prize money of Rs 10.28 lakh was distributed among the winners of the mountain biking race.
Starting from Nainital, on April 8, around 81 elite cyclists, including 11 international participants, passed through beautiful landscape while bouncing, grunting and pedaling through a total distance of 628kms of wilderness trails. The six-day cross country endurance race passed through eight districts-Nainital, Almora, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Uttarkashi and Dehradun-testing the physical endurance and mental determination of the cyclists.
Indicating the toughness and difficulty level, they started out with 81 riders, out of which only 48 managed to complete the race. The foreign cyclists were from USA, Canada, New Zealand, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) organized the race with technical support of Cycling Federation of India (CFI) with an aim of promoting adventure tourism and mountain biking in Uttarakhand.
Speaking on the occasion, tourism secretary Sailesh Bagoli said, "Tourism department has successfully organized the mountain biking event in Uttarakhand for the second year in row. The event has put the state on the cycling map of the country and it will greatly boost the tourism sector of the state b opening new vistas in tourism which traditionally has been limited to pilgrimage and few adventure activities."
He also said that the event will surely help in making Uttarakhand as one of the most sought after places for mountain biking in days to come.
