13th Hero MTB Himalaya
Across the Jalori Pass
Press Release / 01.10.2017
The 77 kilometer-long third stage of the race takes us to the Jalori Pass. This is not like any other regular mountain bike stage - it’s utterly exotic and never ceases to lift the riders’ spirit.
Named after the ridiculously beautiful meadows of Raghupur Garh, the Conquest of Garh, or the Queen’s Stage was a tough fight. A 2200 m climb starting from Shwad to the well- known Jalori Pass, the highest pass of the race exposed the riders to the untouched beauty of the Himalayas. The nature trails en route describe the copious species of wildlife found in the gradients of Jalori and the numerous small settlements in the forests reveals the unique rural culture of the region.
Spanish racer Adria topped this stage with a stage time of 04:14:35 and Thomas Engelsgjerd from Norway maintains his rank at the second position. Algarve racer Michael Isidoro from Portugal is a new entrant to the top 5 list.
Ilda Pereira from Portugal seems determined to win the Queen of Himalayas and maintains her lead from Catherine Williamson, who has won the race three times before.
India is shining, with David Kumar climbing up 7 spots and reaching the 8th position overall. Sunil Barongpa from India has managed to be in the top 3 of the Grand of the Masters Solo Category, climbing up two spots and beating Jorge Padrones from Spain.
Riding around the periphery of the Great Himalayan National park, the riders experienced an elevation gain of nearly 3000 metres on some pretty toilsome terrains. The leaderboard is continuously shuffling between 5 super-talented riders. The next 5 stages will define who the next King of Himalayas would be.
The strenuous stage calls for a day-off. The riders will recharge themselves at the beautiful campsite in Gada Gushaini today and tomorrow, ready to gear up for another grueling stage on 3rd of October.
SleepMonsters
