Pedallers ride 612 km in 40 hrs

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 17

A group of city-based young businessmen, all members of Jalandhar Peddlers Club, has completed a 612 km cycling ride in 40 hours and won the title of Super Randonneurs. The cycling event, called Brevet, was managed by a French company, Audax.

The cyclists, in the age-group of 35 to 45 years — Kunal Kalra, Jasvinder Pahwa, Vivek Sehgal, Vikas Vij, Rohit Sharma and Tirlok Bhatia — began their cycling ride on October 14 from Noida. The bikers rode on cycle to Greater Noida, Delhi, Ambala and Zirakpur and returned to Noida the next day.

The participants said they had already done 200 kms, 300 kms and 400 kms ride earlier and were happy being part of a contingent that had finished the ride.

Sharing his experience, Kalra said, “During the event, there were arrangements for refreshments, short naps and a shower too. There were check-points in between where stamping was to be done within a given time span.”

The participants said they were so tired at the end of the event that they had asked their drivers to pick them up from Noida on October 15 in their cars. “We were mostly asleep on the way. Even the next day, we slept like logs,” they laughed.

Kalra added, “I was never an avid cyclist. I had bought bicycles for my two children a few years back. I bought one for myself too just to give them company. But then I started enjoying it. As club members, we have been cycling to Phagwara, Jamsher and other areas almost every week.”