In a first, Ladakh Police in collaboration with the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh, Cycling Association of India & Edify Sports is bringing a dose of high-octane action and adrenaline rush to Ladakh - the land of majestic landscapes & off-road adventures. The beautiful city of Leh is all set to host its first Mountain Bicycle (MTB) World Cup – the ‘UCI MTB Eliminator World Cup’ which is scheduled to be held on September 4th, 2022.
UCI MTB Eliminator World Cup is a short track race with XCE (Cross Country Eliminator) format of 500 meters with natural and artificial obstacles, of which the racers have to take 2 laps, with four racers racing at a time. It’s a real test of speed, agility, strength and not to mention - grit & determination. 25 of the world’s top professional male & female MTB riders will provide tough competition to the Indian professional MTB riders hailing from all over India including riders from UT Ladakh.
Ladakh Police warmly welcomes the UCI team, City Mountain Bike & the riders. Ladakh Police feels honored to put India on the map of MTB World Cycling Championship. Every year Ladakh Police endeavors to organize cycling events with the aim to promote carbon-neutral Ladakh and inspire everyone to take significant steps to put handlebars above steering wheels.
Our first event ever was the 1st Edition of Ultimate Ladakh Cycling Challenge, held in September 2020, where some of the most talented mountain bikers of India congregated in the fantastic land of Ladakh. Hon'ble Minister Of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sh. Anurag Thakur flagged off the 2nd edition of the Ultimate Ladakh Cycling Challenge in September 2021 with the participation of almost 100 riders including 50 top national riders riding in challenging terrains and thin air.
This year’s cycling event, the UCI MTB Eliminator World Cup will expose Ladakh to the rest of the world as a top tourist & sporting destination. The Ladakh leg of this speed fest, which is a series of 10 professional races held across various cities of the world, would be live broadcasted on Eurosport India - Discovery Plus TV channel and in 120 countries across the world, to an audience of 2.5 billion. To ride in Ladakh, every rider (except the Ladakh-based riders) has to acclimatize and practice in low oxygen conditions, for a few days before the event.
This can significantly alter the chances of Podium finishes. Approximately 20,000 tourists and locals are expected to throng the Main Market of Leh city for the flag-off ceremony on 4th Sept 2022, which will be held in presence of dignitaries, VIPs, officers of various departments of UT Ladakh, riders from across the world along with the spectators who will trail along the 500 m long race route.
