Cycling Shillong announce 50 km race on I-Day

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, AUG 1: Meghalaya’s only official cycling club, the Cycling Shillong, today announced the second edition of its ‘enduro 50 km race’ for mountain bikes this Independence day with prize money worth over Rs two lakhs on to be won.

Announcing the second edition of the Green Pedal Shillong Challenge (GPSC), Cycling Shillong president Abhishek Bhagotia said the GPSC is a cycling endurance race which will showcase not just the scenic beauty and greenery in the state but also a challenge to many cycling enthusiasts in the country.

“This year’s edition will be a high intensity, uphill, endure MTB race of 50 kms with a maximum elevation gain of about 1128 feet from the starting point at Iewrynghep ground till the end point at Lad Smit,” Bhagotia said.

The race will encounter steep climb of about 9 km till Air Force station, fast downhill sections till Umtyngngar bridge and interspersed with offroad-like conditions from Laitlyngkot till Laitdiengsai village, he said.

In its first edition, the GPSC attracted over 80 cycling enthusiasts from the North Eastern states mostly and representatives from other states as well making it one of the best enduro cycling competition in one of the most beautiful part of the country.

The Club’s event partner, the Catapult Design Solutions, has been instrumental in aiding the club in planning and organizing the race since the beginning.

CDS team leader Vijay Byrsat said they expect about 100 participants this year as the prize money has also gone up considerably for both categories of men and women participants, in which is total prize to be won is about Rs 2 lakh.

Cycling Shillong secretary Iankupar Diengdoh, who has just graduated from St Anthony’s college and a contender himself, said the event is expected to create awareness on the young people like him especially to take up cycling as a hobby and a means of transport.

Diengdoh and his friends in college regularly goes to college and then to work using mountain bikes and informed of the tremendous effect it has on his personal health apart from getting to places on schedule.

Considering that cycling can be an option for career, he said the young generation are gifted and could make good of the career options cycling has in the very near future.

The event is supported by the state Sports and Youth Affairs department and the Election department apart from other the other sponsors in cash and kind.