In a bid to popularise cycling and promote cycle as a mode of transport, 109 cyclists, including 15 from overseas, will ride 876 kilo meters stretch spread over Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the Indian Terrain Tour of Nilgiris (TFN) that kick-starts here on Wednesday.
The eighth edition of TFN, to be flagged-off from here at 6.30 am, will see cyclists traverse across Mysuru, Madikeri, Wayanad, Ooty, Palakkad, Valparai and end the tour at Pollachi on December 23.
Participants will pedal through three wildlife sanctuaries - Bandipur National Park in Karnataka, Mudumalai National Park in the Nilgiris and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala.
The tour will have three categories — below 35 and 35 and above in the men’s section besides a singles category in the women’s section. It will have eight women competing in what promises to be one of the most enduring sporting events in India.
The competitive segment will be a stretch of around 87 kms over five days with two Hors Categorie (HC) climbs.
“Highlight of the event will be ‘King/ Queen of the Mountains’ challenge where riders will pass through Kalhatti, considered a Hors Categorie — one of the toughest climbs possible. You climb 1200 metres. The elevation goes up to 15 degrees in certain portions,” said Sridhar Pabbisetty, Co-Founder, RideACycle Foundation.
Indian Terrain will take this gruelling competition, to five other cities in the country, including Chennai, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Chandigarh and Pune, where it will be called ‘Race to the Nilgiris’.
It will be a one-day event with two winners from each city being awarded free entries to the next edition of the Tour of Nilgiris.
Published 15 December 2015, 19:24 IST