Second edition of HCL Cyclothon on October 6
There are four different categories for participants to register: the professional-elite race, open only to CFI-licensed cyclists; the amateur race covering distances of 55km and 24km
Abhishek Misra, Rajat Chandolia, Sundar Mahalingam, Meghanatha Reddy, Onkar Singh and Maninder Singh at the launch event in Chennai on Thursday
CHENNAI: After its success last year, the second edition of the HCL Cyclothon is back and will take place along the ECR stretch, kicking off from Mayajal multiplex on October 6th.
There are four different categories for participants to register: the professional-elite race, open only to CFI-licensed cyclists; the amateur race covering distances of 55km and 24km; the amateur MTB race covering 24km; and the green ride category, a non-competitive 15km ride aimed at promoting cycling as an activity to stay healthy. For the first time, the amateur races will feature a neutral/warm-up zone of 3km, with race timings calculated only after crossing this zone. The organisers have also upgraded the rider bib stickers, which are now waterproof and capable of capturing timings under any circumstances.
Similar to last year, the 55km stretch from Akkarai to Mahabalipuram is expected to be cordoned off during the race. The theme of this year’s edition is ‘Change your gear’, aimed at emphasising the transformative power of cycling and its positive impact on individual well-being and environmental sustainability.
India’s bids for Asian Cycling Road Championship
India has successfully bid to host the Asian Cycling Road Championship 2026, with Chennai and Ahmedabad likely to host if India secures the rights. “It is a bidding process running until February next year. I’m not sure how many more countries will bid, but India is already in,” said Onkar Singh, Secretary General, Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC).
The multi-day race will attract riders from over 40 countries to the host nation. “The main concern is ensuring quality roads and world-class facilities. Sanitising the roads for a week is no easy task,” he added. Onkar also pointed out the recently held Asian Road Cycling Championships in Almaty, where more than 4000 police personnel were deployed on the roads. He emphasised that ultimately, it all comes down to the state government’s ability to provide top-notch facilities and cater to the needs of the federation.