Ladakh to host India’s first UCI mountain biking eliminator world cup

In a first-ever international cycling event to be held in India, UT Ladakh Police, in collaboration with the Cycle Federation of India, is all set to organise the first-ever UCI MTB Eliminator World Cup.

The event will be held at Leh on September 4, 2022. The event was announced on Wednesday in the presence of officials from Ladakh Police and Kristof Bruyneel, General Director/Founder, City Mountain Bike, the Official Host of the UCI MTB Eliminator World Cup and the UCI MTB Eliminator World Championships. The official event jersey was also launched during the press briefing.

“The concept is to take Leh at the level where it is recognised all over the world as an ultimate cycling destination. The aim of the UT administration is to take Ladakh to an international level such as the Tour de France. It will take lots of hard work and planning but I believe this is the first step we are taking in that direction,” said S S Khandare, ADGP, Ladakh Police, during a media briefing on Wednesday.

Kristof Bruyneel of City Mountain Bike, who was also present at the briefing, said “As an organiser of the world cup eliminator, we are very pleased and we are very sure to open a new chapter in India because it is the first world cup to be held in the soil of India.”

“We will make a big show from the race on September 4 here at the city centre of Leh with lots of International riders and Indian riders. More importantly, we will show the world the local culture and that is why it’s super important to hold the race at Leh,” added Bruyneel.

The registration for participation will open next week and will be available at www.citymountainbike.com.

Amateur riders wishing to participate in the event will require a licence for competition through the Cycling Federation of India (CFI).

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