Fazilka: Pedalers win 600 km cycling challenge

Punjab: Members of Azad Hind Pedlar Club, Fazilka won the ‘Super Randonneurs’ series organised by Audax India in Abohar on Wednesday. Founder Shashikant Gupta (55), retired naib tehsildar Ram Kishan Kamboj (62), Simaljit Singh (43) and Arpit Setia (38) were part of the team. Simarjit Singh, general secretary of the club, said his entire group had vowed to achieve the title, which has now been accomplished. He said no other group or cyclist from Fazilka had achieved this feat before. He said the achievement is a testament to the club. To achieve the title in cycling, a rider must complete four brevets (200 km, 300 km, 400 km and 600 km) within a calendar year. Audax India gives a time limit of 13.5 hours for 200 km, 20 hours for 300 km, 27 hours for 400 km and 40 hours for 600 km. Each cyclist successfully completed these four rides within the stipulated time. Shashikant Gupta informed that the last ride of the SR series, a 600 km ride, was named ‘Punjab-Haryana Friendship Ride’, which started from Abohar and returned via the same route via Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar and Rohtak bypass. Ram Kishan Kamboj informed that the SR series was quite challenging, but all the riders faced these challenges with courage and determination. Arpit Setia informed that the 600 km ride was organised by Hisar Randonneurs and the coordinators were Inder Sharma Abohar and Naveen Deora Malout. On completing the ride, other club members Rahul Gumbar, Ashwani Gagneja, Lakshya Gupta, Praveen Garg and family members warmly welcomed the riders with garlands.