{"id":3010,"date":"2024-10-24T15:01:54","date_gmt":"2024-10-24T09:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/blog\/"},"modified":"2024-10-31T10:52:37","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T05:07:37","slug":"tawangs-rugged-terrain-invite-bikers-for-annual-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/feature\/monduro-2024-indias-gateway-to-enduro-biking\/","title":{"rendered":"Monduro: India\u2019s gateway to enduro biking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Enduro biking is gaining momentum in India as a challenging new sport. Well-trained and physically fit riders push their limits in this mountain race. Cyclists navigate steep, rugged trails, skilfully descending from altitudes of 3,500 to 5,000 metres, battling both the terrain and their endurance to reach the finish line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arunachal Pradesh has India\u2019s only enduro cycling site in Tawang. This is surprising because youth prefer football, boxing, and hockey as in neighbouring states like Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Football is popular in Arunachal. Last year, Yupia in Arunachal Pradesh hosted the final round of Santosh Trophy. It was the first time a northeastern Indian state hosted the tournament. Services beat Goa in the final for their seventh title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDespite football\u2019s appeal, enduro biking is gradually expanding in Tawang,\u201d says Dr. Dukhum Magu, the founder and president of the Tawang Cycling Association (TCA)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enduro cycling needs high mountains and challenging trails. Tawang has this amidst beautiful landscape. He says, \u201cThe site at Himalayan foothills gives us an advantage. Next month, we will hold the fourth edition of Monduro<\/a> Downhill Mountain Bike Race.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Once used by yak herders, the trails in Tawang have been repurposed by thrill-seekers like Dr. Dukhum Magu for top-class enduro racing. Photo Courtesy: Monduro<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to him, Monduro and other mountain events in Arunachal Pradesh are made possible by the support of the state authorities. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the State government has been supporting mountain events, including Monduro, that attract sports enthusiasts and tourists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauding TCA’s efforts, Chief Minister Pema Khandu reaffirms the state government’s commitment to attracting both tourists and athletes. \u201cSports tourism has immense potential in our state. We aim to highlight the state\u2019s natural beauty and vibrant culture through these initiatives,\u201d says CM Khandu, a sports enthusiast and President of the state’s Football Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This commitment is evident in the organisation of events such as Monduro, cycling marathons, football, and other sports tournaments in Arunachal Pradesh. The residents of Tawang have a special regard for this annual event also because of the historical significance attached to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tracing the Storied Trail<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMonduro is not just a sports event,\u201d says TCA advisor and Tawang MLA Namgey Tsering. The project focuses on restoring old trade and grazing paths, promoting tourism, and honouring the natural and cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh, he explains. \u201cThe event looks to breathe new life into these ancient trails and transform them into attractions that combine adventure and exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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Enduro racing demands both physical endurance and mental fortitude. Photo Courtesy: Monduro<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cBikers can ride through forgotten paths and draw attention to these routes and promote tourism,\u201d Tsering continues. \u201cBy adding the internationally recognised Lhasa route, Monduro creates a unique opportunity to connect local and global interests. This will display Arunachal\u2019s commitment to integrating international adventure tourism into its offerings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintaining trails in their natural state and organising logistics for the race is no easy feat. It demands significant financial backing and strong media support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, the 38-year-old orthopaedic surgeon remains optimistic. \u201cWe hope, with State and Federal governments\u2019 continued support, sponsors and media\u2019s involvement, India will soon develop enduro champions,\u201d says Dr. Magu, who works at Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences as an Assistant Professor in Orthopaedics in Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnduro biking is nascent in India,\u201d he says. \u201cOur enduro cyclists will have to work hard. They should compete in international events to gain experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSuccess will not come overnight,\u201d Dr. Magu notes, referring to India\u2019s long and enduring journey before establishing itself as a cricketing powerhouse. India recorded its first victory in Test cricket in 1952\u2014two decades after it officially started playing the game. Vijay Hazare led India to this historic feat by defeating England in Madras, setting the foundation for future successes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the challenges of mountain biking, TCA General Secretary Sangey Tsering says, \u201cThis sport is for brave hearts. It needs stamina and high skill. It is a difficult and risky sport.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Asia Pacific Series, European World Series, and North American Series have boosted the popularity of enduro biking in countries like Taiwan, Australia, Great Britain, France, Italy, the US, and Canada. Tsering laments, “India still has to do a lot to catch up with the rest of the world.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did he choose to chase a difficult sport?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Once used by yak herders, these trails, set against the rugged terrain of Tawang, now attract mountain bikers from near and far. Photo Courtesy: Monduro<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The doctor says, \u201cI started riding MTB in Tawang after I shifted here from Shillong in 2019. Two years later, Abhishek Saikia, an avid mountain biker from Guwahati, and Gautam Toade, the 2021 National Downhill Champion, visited Tawang. “We talked and that is how we started riding the trails.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following this discussion, they brooded on the idea to organise an enduro mountain biking event. As nature’s bounty, Tawang had plenty of trails. They just had to find a way to connect them. The trails they now use are steeped in history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Brogpa<\/em> (Yak herders) once used these trails. People used them to travel to Tibet. Our idea was to revive those ancient trails and make them rideable for mountain biking,\u201d he says. \u201cAnyone riding the trails, goes back in time. It is not just the physical trail, but the history and culture behind it that is interesting.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What inspired the name of the event?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Tibetans refer to Tawang and the surrounding areas as “Mon” or “Monyul,” meaning “South of Tibet,” as the region is situated just south of Tibet, the doctor explains. \u201cMonpa<\/em> means natives of Mon\/Monyul or Tawang. The duro part of the name comes from the enduro format of the race. So Monduro means Enduro Race in Monland which is Tawang.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monduro 2024, the penultimate leg of the five-race Asia Enduro Series, takes place from November 9 till 14. This year\u2019s theme, ‘Blossom Fury: The Rhodo Rush,’ highlights the vibrant beauty of rhododendrons and encourages people to enjoy and engage in this annual event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Elite Downhill champion Rajesh Magar of Nepal, centre, is seen with second-placed Rama Teguh of Indonesia, left, and third-placed Chris Keeling of Britain during a presentation of the Monduro 2023, in Tawang. Photo Courtesy: Monduro<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Launched in 2021, the race has grown as a favourite among mountain bikers in the region and across the borders. Most riders come from northeast India, mainly from Meghalaya. Other riders come from Assam, Bengaluru, Jammu, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Hyderabad. International participation looks promising, with talented riders coming from Nepal, Bhutan and Indonesia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The race organisers have already left bikers salivating with their announcement of INRs2 million in total prize money for this year. Dr Magu says, \u201cWe wanted to make Monduro bigger and better!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 50 riders are expected to compete across different categories this year. Thirty riders, including defending Elite Downhill champion Rajesh Magar from Nepal, have registered as of October 10, according to the race organisers. The current EDR World Champion Alex Rudeau from France and Dan Chaing from Taiwan, who is Asia DH Champion and Asian Games runner-up in DH, have also confirmed their participation.<\/p>\n

Related Images:<\/h3>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Explore how an orthopaedic surgeon juggles scalpel and saddle, propelling enduro racing in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, while reviving ancient trails and inspiring bikers from far and wide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":3053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[89,109,3,110],"class_list":["post-3010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","tag-enduro","tag-monduro","tag-mountain-biking","tag-tawang"],"acf":[],"author_meta":{"display_name":"Sudeep Sonawane","author_link":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/author\/sonawane\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Monduro-2023-300x200.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Feature<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Feature<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["Enduro<\/a>","Monduro<\/a>","MountainBiking<\/a>","Tawang<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Enduro<\/span>","Monduro<\/span>","MountainBiking<\/span>","Tawang<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":0,"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 2 \u0935\u0930\u094d\u0937 ago","modified":"Updated 2 \u0935\u0930\u094d\u0937 ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on 24 \u0905\u0915\u094d\u091f\u094b\u092c\u0930 2024","modified":"Updated on 31 \u0905\u0915\u094d\u091f\u094b\u092c\u0930 2024"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on 24 \u0905\u0915\u094d\u091f\u094b\u092c\u0930 2024 15:01","modified":"Updated on 31 \u0905\u0915\u094d\u091f\u094b\u092c\u0930 2024 10:52"},"featured_img_caption":"[:en]Launched in 2021, the Monduro Downhill race has grown as a favourite among mountain bikers in the region and across the borders. Photo Coutesy: Monduro<\/em>[:]","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3010"}],"version-history":[{"count":69,"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3010\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3392,"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3010\/revisions\/3392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8850media.com\/np\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}