Top Portuguese cyclist to participate in mountain rally

Portuguese Sonia Lopes, the first and only female cyclist to win the non-stop 500-km Portugal Bike Race, will participate in South Asia's biggest mountain bike rally to be held in Himachal Pradesh later this month.

Over 70 intrepid bikers are expected for the rally from India and abroad. Teams from adventure wings of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army will also take part.

Lopes will race at the 10th Hero MTB Himalaya, scheduled from Sep 27 to Oct 3, as the rally's official female brand ambassador, Mohit Sood, president of Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA), the local club organising the event, told IANS.

"I really hope I can do well and inspire a lot of people in India, especially women," Lopes said in a HASTPA statement.

The organisers said the route, through the lesser explored interiors of the Himalayas, would twice climb the Jalori Pass (at 9,669 feet) in Kullu district, the toughest point of the rally.

The route for the 10th year is special.

"It is a long and an absolutely new route. We will be climbing the mighty Jalori Pass twice and will be conducting the race on 90 percent off-road sections. Jungle tracks, jeep tracks, single tracks, rocky and gravel sections will form majority of the route. That's what these top riders are looking for," he said.

On an average, a cyclist will pedal 80-90 km everyday with one day of rest and have to ascend 2,000-2,500 metres each day. The highest point of the rally will be the 3,223-metre Jalori Pass.

Last year World No.9 Luis Lea Pinto was among the internationally acclaimed riders in the event.

The rally will pass through Shimla, Narkanda, Ani, Jibbi, Ghadagushaini, Chatri, Luhri, then again back to Narkanda and finally will culminate in the state capital.

"It has always been our objective to involve more women in the sport. Unfortunately, not too many women in India have taken to mountain biking. Lopes' presence will definitely inspire a lot of young women to follow and take up this great sport," HASTPA general secretary Akhil Puri said.