TOURISM INDIA MARCH 2019 Tourism India January 2019 IA | Page 25

to the present day meta-sedimentary
rocks which are still active in nature.
From the famous silk route to the
present day urbanisation, they have a
lot of relevance dating back to the time
they served as a guard from various
invasions and now to a meeting
ground for different races, culture, and
religion.
Considered to be one of the
toughest races in the world, Hero MTB
Himalaya is not for the faint hearted.
A race that takes the riders through
the untouched parts of the Himalayas,
bustling towns and villages, across
streams – all set amidst the beauty of
the mighty Himalayas. With a total
elevation gain of almost 50,000 feet
in the previous edition, even the most
experienced riders found the altitude
challenging.
The flag off the MTB Himalaya 2019
will take place on World Tourism day,
September 27th, which India is the
host country for 2019 celebrations.
The cyclist will finish their pedaling on
October 5, 2019.
Mountain biking is a tough sport to
play. The sport made it’s way into the
Olympics 20 years ago, back in 1996.
Physically demanding and technically
challenging, cycling off-road over rough
terrain requires presence of mind
and muscle. Riding several hundred
kilometers in a day over the rough
terrain that the sport commands is
certainly not cushy.
The mighty Himalayas set a perfect
stage for a sport like this. Cradled
in the lap of Mother Nature, the
mountain ranges offer an ideal territory
for a fanatical mountain biker.
Mr Mohit Sood (President,
Himalayan Adventure Sport &
Tourism Promotion Association) had
participated in car rallies himself
and after working on the production
side of a few, he decided to set up an
organisation of his own. He knew
adventure sport was going to be the
key focus of the organisation but
deciding upon mountain biking being
flagship program happened to be a
chance meeting with a wandering
mountain biker from England.
Gradually, the team began mastering
their knowledge about the sport and
eventually rolled out the first edition edition (2015) witnessed anew
participation from world champions
like Luis Leao Pinto, Andi Seewald and
Catherine Williamson among a few
riders. More and more professional and
ranked riders including former Tour
De France and numerous UCI ranked
of the race on 6th October 2005 from
Shimla to Manali. The race was initially
supported by Himachal Tourism which
was keen on developing the state for
it’s tourism potential. It’s been 12
years since then and organisation has
left no stones unturned to extend
a helping hand of support to the
organisers.
The race was won by Hungarian
International Norbert Szenthinlosi in
open men solo category.
Over the years MTB Himalaya
established itself as a primer cross-
country endurance event and
has drawn big names from the
International cycling fraternity. 11th athletes have shown interest and
returning participation over the years.
Established teams from Rocky
Mountain, Kona Bikes, Airforce
and Indian defence establishments
participate religiously each year. Riders
are often quoted touting the race to be
“ the most difficult stretch” they have
ever peddled.
With a great terrain and astounding
vistas in Himachal, the race making
the best of rusty, dirt trails tags along
technical section and has positioned
Himachal Pradesh as a global
destination for the sport during the
past decade.
January 2019 Tourism India
23