Every year in February the MVS Cycling Carnival is organised by the Pinnacle Sports & Welfare Association in Chettipalayam near Coimbatore. Cyclists from near and far test their hard-trained skills. There were two races: Enduro, which is inspired by motorcar rallying, consisted of eight stages over two courses that had to be completed in a specific time. These were at plantations at Chettipalayam. This year, the Enduro event involved an increased number of stages compared to the previous years and a front and reverse format to make it interesting for the mountain terrain bike (MTB) riders. With over 100 riders participating in the elite, amateur and master’s categories, the competitive event on Saturday was filled with adrenaline and excitement. On the second day, the cyclists participated in the Criterium format at the race track at the Kari Motor Speedway.
The Criterium at the Kari race track had riders on lighter bikes with sleek tyres scorching the track at much higher speeds compared to the Enduro. This year, the organisers increased the number of categories for the kids, as they had to separate the boys’ and girls’ races due to the number of participants. The under-six, under-eight, under-10, under-12 races were held separately for the boys and girls unlike the previous years.
Riders sign up for the MVS cycling carnival for various reasons and often it is not just about winning. For 45-year-old Vignesh Damodharaswamy from Coimbatore who took up cycling four years ago, it was all about putting himself out there on the race track and enjoying a good day of riding. “I love the variety of riders I see at the cycling carnival — from kids to veterans on bikes ranging from basic to high-end aerodynamic ones. It shows that cycling is for everyone. The Criterium gives me an opportunity to step outside my comfort zone for newer experiences and to have fun,” he said.
Gautham Naidu, a Coimbatore-based dentist and a triathlete, was looking for progress. “I remember being lapped seven times in 2016 and putting in an average performance in 2017. In 2018, I missed the race owing to a back injury. But this year, I had the best race ever, riding with the lead group almost until the final lap”, he remarked. Like Gautham, many of the riders were competing against themselves and trying to better their performance.
Parashuram Chenji, an elite rider from Hyderabad, declared, “This is one of my favourite races because it is well organised, the competition is tough and it is held on a super fun race track. When the elite category races, the heat is at its peak and this demands tough racing; something that all competitive cyclists relish. I am coming back next year as well with the goal of getting that elusive first place”.
Jeyakanth from Thoothukudi made a humble début in 2017 when he rode in the men’s amateur race on a conventional Hercules cycle while many other riders were on bikes with carbon frames. Since then with help of the cycling fraternity, he has had access to better bikes and biking gear. This weekend Jeyakanth raced with the lead bunch and almost made it on the podium in a very competitive race.
The heat on Sunday afternoon was unforgiving but it did not sap the energy or the spirit of the enthusiastic riders and the spectators. The organisers in their crisp white shirts pulled off a well-coordinated and spectacular event that has established itself as a sought-after event in India’s cycle racing calendar.
And the winners are
Boys
Under 18: DevDutt Menov, Michael Jhonson, Azeem Shah
Under 14: Michael Antony, R Jayaram, Ramamoorthi
Under 12: Rishon D Almeda, Reuben Singh, Thepesh Karthikeyan
Under 10: Vishnu Varthan, Pranay, Mithesh Mukesh
Under 6: Vishanth Vasanth, Mukil V Aravint, Ilan P
Under 8: Niranjan Devarajan, Abinav G, Tanay Krishna
Girls
Under 14: Srimathi J, Swetha S, Zanjana Prakash
Under 12: Niraimathi. J, Jaijyothsna, Seema
Under 10: Smrithi Kumaresan, Hashini K, Harini V
Under 6: Vedika Menon, Anisha A, Vishrutha Das
Under 8: Jarlotanne Goldan, Lakshya Shyaam, M Ashwika
Amateur
Men: Sailendranath V, Selvin Tom, Christopher L
Women: Abirami Manoharan, Sumithra V, Aishwarya J
Masters
Men: Daljit Singh, Ankush Shalma, Phil Reynolds
Women: Priya Ponnambalam
Veterans Men: Christopher Poffey, Joseph. S, Meenakshi Sundaram
Mixed race: Vignesh & Divya Chandran, Karthik Ram & Seetha
Elite: Shreedhar Savanur, Shiven Aerohawk, John Peter KA
Prime Lad: Mageshwaran J, John Petel K A, Shreedhar S, Shreedhar S, Shiven
