Sports
Mustang madness: Shrestha claims title
Raj Kumar Shrestha of Chisapani put on a dominant show to claim the Mustang Madness Cross Country Mountain Bike Championship in Mustang on Thursday.Raj Kumar Shrestha of Chisapani put on a dominant show to claim the Mustang Madness Cross Country Mountain Bike Championship in Mustang on Thursday.
Shrestha, who had won the previous six stages, claimed the seventh and final stage from Marpha to Tatopani in one hour 40 minutes and 10 seconds for an overall timing of 14:54:57 hours. He collected a cash purse of Rs 125,000.
Shrestha left behind Buddhi Bahadur Tamang, who completed the seven-day race in 16:33:40 hours. Tribhuvan Army Club cyclist Man Bahadur Thapa Magar ended up third in 17:22:52. The second and third place finishers earned Rs 75,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively.
Shrestha said the scenic landscape of Mustang helped him overcome the toughness of the route. “Even though it is not easy to ride in high altitude, the panorama made it easier for me,” said Shrestha. Second-placed Tamang had no qualms. “Mustang is one of the best places to ride and it was the best mountain bike trails I have rode so far. I am happy to finish second but I would like to end up first in the next event,” said Tamang.
British citizen Isabel Boyd was the best rider among foreigners coming up with a timing of 24:06:30 hours. More than the event, Boyd was captivated by the beauty of Mustang. “When I registered for this event, I knew it would be a wonderful experience. But I never expected it to have such a big impact on me. Mustang is truly magical in every way,” the Brit said.
The event was organised by Adventure Sports Nepal in association with Nepal Tourism Board, supported by Himalaya Expeditions and Gnarly Biking. Out of 12 participants, nine cyclists managed to complete all the stages.