The Great Malnad Challenge (GMC), Karnataka’s own mountain terrain bikes cycling expedition, is back for its seventh successive edition. Covering as it does close to 700 km of terrain spread across the pristine Western Ghats — starting from Mysuru, going through Kukke Subrahmanya, Kemmanagundi, Agumbe, and ending at Guddekere near Shivamogga — it promises to be an enthralling experience but a tough one too.
The GMC will run from October 15 to 22 and will see participation from 50 cyclists, including eight women. The first day will comprise a cursory ride from Mysuru to Kushalnagar with no competitive sections. But on each of the next seven days, cyclists will challenge each other for supremacy through dense forests and tough mountain stages such as Mullayanagiri and Kundadri, near Agumbe, which are known for their steep ascents.
“These are all roads that are less travelled,” explained Manjesh Chandrashekaran, founder and managing director of bicycle solutions provider ICYCLE.in, and the driving force behind the GMC.
“And running through the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it should be a great experience.
“We have been promoting cycling to be part of people’s lifestyle. It’s finally paying off. Year on year the participants are increasing. This shows a very positive trend,” he added.
Also for the first time, the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, government of Karnataka, will play an active role as 10 of the cyclists are from Yuva Spandana, DYES’ youth empowerment initiative run jointly with NIMHANS.
“Cycling helps secure the physical health and improve mental strength of a person,” said G. Gururaj, chief adviser for Yuva Spandana and head of the Department of Epidemiology, NIMHANS. “It also gets one into the social circles and hence helps in the overall well-being of the youth.”
In all, prizes worth Rs. 4 lakh will be disbursed. For more details, visithttp://www.greatmalnadch
allenge.in/
From days two to seven, cyclists will challenge each other through dense forests and mountain stages
