By IANS
Shimla : The third Mountain Biking Rally, which has 44 cyclists including 24 foreigners taking part, was flagged off from here Friday.
The rally has the reputation of being the toughest cycle rally in the country, testing the skill and endurance of the riders in the Himalayan terrain.
“The nine-day race will conclude in Manali on Oct 14 and will cover 650 km,” said Mohit Sood, president of the Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA), organisers of the adventure event.
Besides Shimla, the race will pass through the scenic hill resorts of Mashobra, Narkanda, Sungri, Sarhan, Rampur, Jalori Pass, Bajaura, Naggar and Jagathsukh before ending at Manali.
“The average riding altitude will be 2,000 metres above sea level. The Jalori Pass at 3,223 metres will be the highest point and Pandoh at 705 metres the lowest point on the 650-km route,” said Sood.
“The 24 foreigners taking part are from 10 countries, including the US, Britain, Brazil, Hungry and Belgium,” he said.
The organisers found around 40 cyclists unfit to take part in the rally.
Hercules cycles and the Himachal Pradesh tourism department are the sponsors of the event.