Today is a red letter day in the history of mountain biking in the country. Today, India will, for the first time, flag off an ace team of mountain bikers to participate in the elite TransAlp Mountain Terrain Biking challenge.
Trans alps MTB is the oldest and most prestigious event of the world and the biggest in Europe. India will be participating in this race for the first time, thanks to Hero Cycle which has mentored a team for this prestigious event.
Call it destiny, hard work, or being at the right place at the right time, two of the ace bikers, Shiven Sharma and Devendar Thakur chosen for this race come the remotest parts of the Indian Himalaya with nothing but a passion for mountain biking.
They are waiting to see their dream come true with the support Hastpa and hero cycles.
The Hero Action Team which is mentoring the Indian team was conceptualised by HASTPA and Hero Cycles in 2014 with an objective to provide a platform and ecosystem for budding biking talent in the country.
Identifying talent right at the school level, training them and taking them to world stage has been a dream we have pursued with relentless zeal for the last couple of years. So whether it's the team's training, travel, nutrition, or equipment they have not stinted on anything, providing them the very best says Mr. Pankaj Munjal chairman , Managing director Hero Cycles.
The riders have been training for 20-25 hours a week for the last 45 days averaging 30-50km with interval training mostly on climbing and training on slopes. Brought up on a nutrition and protein rich diet for muscle building, the team has also been undergoing strength training to improve stamina and fitness.
"It's our strength of mind and muscle and the special training that we have undergone in the Indian Himalayas ,which have the best raw atmosphere for mountain biking in the world that will define us there'" says Mohit Sood, President and Founder Member Hastpa .
The team has excelled in all the national races it has participated in so far. This race is one of the toughest in the world three countries 650kms 17,000 miles of climbing across the European alps.
Three cheers for the intrepid team ready to take on the alps and the MTB world.
