On a perfect track to impart free training

Vadodara: He is a working professional, and yet regularly wakes at 4 in the morning to train young cyclists in the city.
It is a sight to see young riders occupy the stretch of O P Road at 6am for two hours. Cyclist Nimish Makadia, who holds a degree in cycle coaching from Association of British Cycling Coaches, trains children for free. This 44-year-old trains a batch of 10 youngsters to become professional riders.According to him, Vadodara lacks awareness about taking up cycling as a profession. "Cycling is a low impact sport. Unlike other sports activities, people of all age can do cycling," said Makadia, who also conducts awareness programmes in schools and colleges of the city emphasizing on the importance of cycling. Most of his students are schoolchildren. "Training is a continuous process. Most of my students have represented the state at national championships," he said.
Taking time from his busy schedule, Makadia, a conservationist, has also charted out a practising schedule for all his students.
"I train these children professionally based on their caliber. I have maintained a chart, which includes details related to various aspects such as their practice, medical condition, daily performance, short-term and long-term goals and more. Based on these factors, their training chart is prepared," he added.
Makadia, who is the co-founder of The Cycling Club of Baroda, ensures that none of his riders is on the road without safety gears.
"I am passionate about cycling and would want to take it up as a profession. I make it a point to never miss my training sessions," said Maitri Pradhan, a student of Gujarat Public School.