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International mountain biking rally in Himachal
By Baldev S. Chauhan, Indo-Asian News Service

Shimla, Oct 5 (IANS) Top mountain bikers will pedal their way through the steep and winding hill roads of Himachal Pradesh when they take part in the state's first international biking rally starting Thursday.

"The first Hercules MTB (mountain biking) rally will be flagged off from Shimla early Thursday and, after covering a distance of nearly 500 km, will end eight days later in the resort town of Manali," said Mohit Sood, president of the Himalayan Adventure Sports & Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA).

Hercules MTB Himachal 2005 is being organised by HASTPA in association with the state department of tourism and civil aviation. Chennai based cycle manufacturer Hercules Cycles is sponsoring the meet.

Besides Indian participants, several bikers from Europe, North America and other Asian countries are also taking part. 

"Sixty bikers have confirmed their participation, including 28 foreigners. Warren Lewis of Belgium and Carla Coolberg of the US are some of the best known names in mountain biking in the world, who are taking part," Sood told IANS.

Organisers say Transworld Sports will telecast the rally in 140 countries.

The organisers, who plan to make the rally an annual event, say the rally will put Himachal on the world map of mountain biking, a well-known adventure sport in Europe and North America.

"Himachal has taken a lead in this sport as it has done in the promotion of other adventure sports like paragliding, river rafting, heli-skiing and motor rallying," said Sood.