Padam Sabenhhang, Kulbir Kaur and Ang Phurba Sherpa wins 1st International Khanchendzonga Mountain Biking Expedition

From citynewsr.com

IND00020097: (Left) Sikkim Police Law Officer Jigme D Denjongpa and Delhi rider Saminder Saluja jointly finishing the race in the $25,000 first International Khanchendzonga Mount Biking Expedition at Phongla Junction in West Sikkim and (Right) Women’s winner Chandigarh’s Kulbir Kaur (117) of Firefox finishing the race in the the $25,000 first International Khanchendzonga Mount Biking Expedition at Phongla Junction in West Sikkim. ( Related story by Arshpreet K. Virk see in NewsR section)

Chandigarh. March 13 (Arshpreet K. Virk): International Padam Sabenhhang of Himalaya Ultimate Biking-!, Nepal, Kulbir Kaur of Firefox, Ang Phurba Sherpa of HUB-III cornered glory in the 448.6 km nine-leg first $25,000 first International Khanchendzonga Mountain Biking Expedition which concluded at Phongla Junction in West Sikkim yesterday.

Nepal champion and the most skilled mountain biker Padam clocked the 16 km competitive ninth leg from Samdruptse Statute to Phogla Junction in 57:24 minutes. The riders were flagged off from Namchi Bazar and reached Rangpo Mining Ground in the evening, covering a distance of 44.1 km, including free ride. They passed reached Samdruptse Statute. Then they passed through forest Parwing Town before the competitive route concludedd at Phongla Junction.

Padam’s aggregate time for the nine legs was an impressive 15::37:26. Supporting long hair, Padam’s colleague Mangal Krishna Lama of HUB-I clocked 57:35 minutes in the last leg. Mangal, a student of 11th class, covered the entire energy-consuming metalled and off-road route, which including hike biking, 15::37:52. The third position was captured by Naresh Barman of Army C who clocked 16::51:52.

Ramesh Chand Joshi of Army A and Kalyan Singh of Army B finished creditable fourth and fifth in 17::03:15 and 17::04:44, respectively.

Ang Phurba Sherpa, who has scaped Mount Everest two times, emerged winner in the masters category. The mountain biker from Nepal Ang, representing ZHUB-II, clocked 23::49:29. Saminder Saluja from Delhi and representing Melting Point finished runner-up in 25::56:52.

Sikkim Police Law Officer 48-year-old Jigme D Denjongpa (Melting Point), who got good support as the bikers passed villages, was third in 32:29:02.

National Mount Biking champion Kulbir Kaur and youngest competitor Monika, both of Firefox team, secured first and second positions in the women’s competitions. Both are students of Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Sector 26, Chandigarh. Kulbir Kaur, who finished 24th among 30 competitors clocked 25::23:59 in the nine-leg prize money competition. Monika was standing 29th in the overall position, timed 31::45:56.

Nepal team comprising Padam Sabenhhang and Mangal Krishna Lama also captured the team championship, pushing Army B team comprising Kalyan Singh and Dileep Kumar Singh.

Shiri Leventhal of USA withdrew after the first leg and Suresh Chandra of Army E completed four legs before he sustained fracture in this arm.

The winners will be honoured tomorrow and the event was organised by Sikkim Tourism Department under the competition director Rakesh Mohindra of Chandigarh Amateur Cycling Association.