Arvind, Joshua set to resume rivalry

Reigning National champion Arvind’s hopes of starting the season on a high at Coimbatore ended in slight disappointment when he finished second to Joshua after overshooting some tricky corners.

However, having bagged the National crown last season at the same track, Arvind will be looking for a repeat at a place that is more like his second home.

“It’s here (K 1000) I got my crucial points with a big win last year that helped me clinch the National Championship.

“This is my home turf and I am eager to get back to winning ways,” Arvind said after completing his recce on Saturday.

The gravel Siddhalgatta track has always being on the faster side but with heavy rain that lashed on Saturday, the slippery surface is now expected to pose a huge test for the riders.

“The stages are technically daunting and the rains have not made things easy. It demands a lot of hard work, concentration and focus,'' felt Arvind.

The rally will have two Special Stages -- Mulberry (10.92 km) and Silk (8.95 km). The riders will run each stage four times in the same direction with service breaks in between. The total distance covered including transport section will be 120 km.

The organisers have also included a Bullet class to attract more participation, although it will just be a ‘Demo Class’ and not part of the main competition.