Belagavi cyclists’ group conquers Khardung La Pass and how

Belagavi: A group of 14 cyclists, all members of Venugram Cycling Club (VCC-Belagavi), successfully conquered Khardung La Pass, world’s highest motorable road, on Thursday. According to the cyclists, it was the most challenging cycling route with unpredictable temperatures at high altitude, low oxygen, and breathtaking views of the Himalayas.The expedition commenced from Manali and ended at Khardung La on the ninth day, passing through Marhi, Kyelang, Zing Zing Bar, Sarchu, Pang, Debring, Rumtse and Leh. Remarkably, all 14 cyclists completed this difficult expedition. ‘Trek the Himalayas’ is a registered adventure tour operated by Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and the ministry of tourism.Speaking to TOI, 45-year-old cyclist Jasminder Khurana said: “The expedition was a lifetime experience as it is a tough one. On the first day, it was hot at Manali but on the second day, we encountered rain. The next day, there was less oxygen at Pang where we faced some breathing problems. Constantly changing climate was another challenge. The thought of cycling in such a situation is scary. Being athletes, we had to brave all odds and give our best. On the first day, I found it difficult to sit on a bicycle even for 15 minutes. However, it was our will power which gave strength to complete the journey, as I was prepared not to give up.”Khurana further said they saw different cultures along the way and realised their strengths and weaknesses. “We used to cycle from 6am to 4pm every day. The distance that we covered varied from one day to another, based on the terrain and the elevation. There was a landslide on a bridge at one place, due to which we could not cross it for a long time. We crossed it only after the heavy flow of water subsided. It was night time. We also faced accommodation problems,” the transport businessman explained his experience.Atul Herekar, Mahesh Chougule, Anil Godse, Bhau Nesarkar, Balakrishna Godse, Dheeraj Bhate, Sachin Asthekar, Rahul Oulkar, Vikrant Kalkhambkar, Ajit Sherigar, Mahesh Juvali, Prasad Chandgadkar and 55-year-old banker Raju Nayak were part of the expedition.