India has an abundance of terrain to host mountain biking. Until a decade ago it was unheard of but the introduction of the Hero MTB Himalaya in Himachal Pradesh changed all that. Its popularity grew in leaps across the mountain State when several locals were exposed to it and one such biker is Devender Thakur.
Rider Devender is a veteran who has been training for the last seven years. He was the second runner-up in the MTB national championship and is also the winner of the last two editions of the MTB Shimla too. Having been introduced to a mountain bike in 2010, his career as a biker has not been easy.
“It is important to introduce children at the age of seven or eight to cycling. They develop physically and also learn faster than teenagers,” says Devender who started practising at the age of 14 on his friend’s bike. “If young kids are brought into this sport, they will learn faster and will reach great heights.” By 19, the rider would achieve what most others would only dream of.
After winning the MTB Shimla in 2013, Devender went on to clinch the top spot in every MTB event race in the calendar year including MTB Kerala. Adding to this, he won the national championship bronze medal –– a win he cherishes more than any other. He clinched the top spot in the 2016 edition of the MTB Shimla which concluded recently.
“Physically you have to be tall and strong. Endurance is also a very important factor which contributes. You have to train rigorously and continuously. Running on a daily basis is a must and one should also cycle at least six to seven kilometres a day,” stresses the 21-year old who rides seven to eight hours a day.
He goes on to add that “working out on a fixed cycle will not make you a better biker.”
Devender feels indebted to the Himalayan Adventure Sports & Tourism Promotion Association (HASTPA) for his success “When I first came to Shimla to start a career they helped me by giving a free bike on which I used to practice daily. They also waived off my registration fees for the first few races.” HASTPA has also helped some other young talented children with potential by giving them bikes and waiving participation fees.
Talking about the potential and scope of mountain biking, Devender says, “In the last two to three years it has grown tremendously. Not only in Himachal but all over India I have seen that it is growing in popularity and a lot of young and talented children are showing interest in it. This event is also helping in increasing its visibility among the spectators.”
