200 cyclists conquer tough terrain at Tour de Sanawar

Over 200 cyclists from 16 schools and more than 20 cities, including Indore, Ooty, Bengaluru, Pune, Patiala and Guwahati, participated in the sixth edition of Tour de Sanawar, the annual Cyclothon hosted by The Lawrence School, Sanawar, on Sunday.

The event featured four age categories, with routes ranging from 11 km for under-14 participants to 15 km with a 600-metre elevation gain for the elite category. The riders tackled a demanding course of steep climbs, sharp turns and thrilling descents, truly testing the endurance and skill of every participant. Safety remained the top priority with a dedicated team of marshals and event officials from Hero Cycles and HASTPA and the event sponsors maintained seamless coordination throughout.

The five-hour-long event began at 9.30 am when Headmaster Himmat Singh Dhillon flagged off the junior category race. Major Sanjeev Sharma, Senior Advocate and former president of the Old Sanawarian Society, inaugurated the final race for Pro Elite Men. Delegations from professional cycling organisations also participated, adding to the event’s competitive spirit.

A major highlight of the day was a daredevil cycling stunt show by Prerak Kant from Chhattisgarh, an award-winning stunt rider whose gravity-defying performance captivated the audience.

In the junior category (Class IX and below), Urmi Bhatt of The Lawrence School, Sanawar, secured the first place among girls, while Anirudh Singh of Trinity International School claimed the top spot among boys.

In the senior category (Class X and above), Samaira Dhankar of Sanawar and Punit Thakur of Stokes Memorial School emerged victorious in the girls’ and boys’ divisions, respectively. In the amateur category, Punya Dutta (female) and Aarush Sharma (male) clinched the first place while Ayush Negi triumphed in the elite category. Swastik from Dehradun was adjudged the Most Promising Cyclist.

Headmaster Dhillon urged the youth to stay away from drugs and substance abuse and emphasised on the importance of “engaging in healthy pursuits such as cycling that build discipline, fitness and character”.