India's 1st Mt. Nandadevi International Mountain Biking Expedition 2012

1st Mt. NANDADEVI INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKING EXPEDITION (official website)

 PREVIOUS RACES HELD IN INDIA 

SWEET VICTORY COMES FROM DEDICATION 

 CULTURE AND SPORTS CONNECTING WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION

 PAST EVENTS ACTION, IN NOVEMBER 2012 THE ACTION WILL BE HIGH IN THE HIMALAYAS!

 COMMUNITY INTEREST, SPORTS ENDURANCE RACING, EXPLORING INDIA!

I've been following the Mt. Nandadevi International Mountain Biking Expedition updates through their Facebook event page. The regular updates are upbeat and the event seems to be taking shape gathering an international following. The 1st bi-annual race this year starts November 23, 2012 and finishes December 1, 2012 along the Himalayas.

From their website, 

"Indiamtb.com is an initiative of INFINITE EVENTS and few young, energetic and vivid cyclist of India who have join hand to design and manage few National and International Mountain Biking, BMX and Flat Land Cycle events across India. The team at INFINITE EVENTS is building this years MTB endurance race in a quest to present South East Asia’s biggest International Mountain Biking Expeditions."

Background on the 2012 Expedition:

"We named the event 1st Mt. NANDADEVI INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKING EXPEDITION and dedicated to India’s Second highest mountain MT. NANDADEVI."

Mt. NANDADEVI INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKING EXPEDITION is all set unveil on the 23rd November 2012 in Uttrakhand (www.uk.gov.in). This event will start from Dehradun the capital of Uttrakhand and will end at Auli."

Starting on 23rd November 2012 and finishing on the 1st of December 2012, this multi-stage race will cover 9 great days will criss cross Gharwal area of Uttrkhand State. Mt Nandadevi International expedition takes place in the Indian Himalayas region covering 400.6 miles (645km) at altitudes above 3000 meters. Participants will breach elevations of 3768 meters (12365 feet) at the highest point taking in spectacular view of great Nandadevi Mountain. Each night of the event will showcase different Gharwali Cultural performances by local villages and a dance performance by a noted Odissi dancer on the day of closing ceremony.

"Mt. Nandadevi International Mountain Biking Expedition (MNIMBE) has been designed for cyclist that is physically and mentally prepared. Riders will witness beautiful landscapes as they pass through mountains, tropical rain forests, Villages. The race course has various different types of terrain, from gravel, asphalt, single tracks, and forest."

Exedition Race Route:

• Day 1    : DEHRADUN – KOLUKHET – MUSSORI – GEORGE EVEREST – MUSSOORIE
• Day 2    : MUSSOORIE – SUAKHOLI DHANOLTI KADUKHAL – SUKUNDA DEVI TREK – CHAMBA
• Day 3    : CHAMBA – NEW TEHRI – BORADI – TIPRI  – PIPALI DALI – GADOLIA – GHANSYALI
• Day 4    : GHANSYALI – CHIRBATIA – JAKHOLI
• Day 5    : JAKHOLI – MAYALI – TILWARA – KUND / UKHIMATH -SAYALI
• Day 6    : SAAYALI – DUGALBITA – CHOPTA – CHANDRASHILA TOP – MANDAL / GOPESHWAR
• Day 7    : GOPESHWAR / MANDAL – PIPAL KOTI – JOSHIMATH
• Day 8    : JOSHI MATH – AULI – GORSON TOP (NANDA DEVI BIOSPHERE)  – AULI

Total Distance: 400.6 mi  (645Km)
Total Elevation: + 141463 / – 140127 ft
# of Track Points 42488
Num Course Points 70
Start Elevation 3209 ft
End Elevation 4503 ft
Minimum Elevation 1213 ft
Maximum Elevation 11793 ft
Average Elevation 3685 ft
Max Grade 40.0 %
Avg. Grade -0.1 %

"Each stage of the race will feature two checkpoints where medical assistance, food and drinks will be provided to each athlete. Fruit, water, sandwiches, energy bars and energy drinks will be supplied at each checkpoint."

"Mt. Nandadevi International Mountain Biking Expedition (MNIMBE) offers 4 categories: Open Men, Open Women, Master (the sum of ages must be +80 years) and Solo (This includes women and men). These will be the official categories if and only a minimum of 5 teams sign up for each category. Individuals under 18 years of age will not be allowed to participate."

"Prizes will be rewarded at the end of each stage to winners of that day. The leader of the race will also receive a prize daily. Jerseys will be given daily to the winners of each stage as well as the leader of the general classification. The winners of the general classification will receive a cash prize at the end of the race. The rest of the winners will receive other great prizes and surprises."

"Mt. Nandadevi International Mountain Biking Expedition (MNIMBE) the race was created to satisfy the hunger of extreme athletes and to share the beauty of India."