Professional cycling gaining popularity in Chennai

If one thought about cycling along the East Coast Road (ECR) or Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) stretch in Chennai a few years ago, he or she would have been branded as a lunatic. Travelling by cars along those roads were considered dangerous. A drive down ECR today, especially during weekends will show a different story. Men, women, school and college students in their tightly clad jerseys zip past on their professional cycles, sweating it out. The long distance cycling sport known as randonneuring is fast capturing the hearts of Chennaites, which includes cycling distances between 200 km to 600 km.

“Most of our races have an average of at least 30-40 racers”, says Mr Partha Datta, who founded the Madras Randonneuring Club, which conducts monthly races. The Chennai cycling scene has witnessed a steady increase in the number of participants, with events such as the Chennai Cycling attracting nearly 5,000 participants.

No age bar

The race calendar is between November to October, and all riders have to register themselves to get their brevet cards. “ We have riders from as young as 18 to participants who are nearly 65 years old”, said Mr Datta, a techie by profession. Those below 18 are however required to ride with an adult. The student community has such a large presence that the races have currently been postponed due to April-May being the exam time.

“I initially started cycling for fitness. Now I just enjoy doing it, it gives me an adrenaline rush”, adds Niranjan.V, a college student. Safety comes first in these rides. Vests, tail and head lamps are mandatory for any rider, and they need to deal with their own mechanical issues. And all these equipments do not come by cheaply. Cycles can cost anywhere between 10,000 rupees to five lakhs, but are available on rent as well.

A test of endurance

Previously, those interested in professional cycling had to travel to cities such as Pune and Bangalore to take part in the races. The initial brevet had a turnout of about 70 people, and this surprised Mr Partha. “We expected only around 30-40 cyclists”, he says. As there is a lot of documentation work involved, most brevets start from OMR, and a stipulated time is allotted to cover each distance. The brevets are registered with an organisation in France, the Audax Club Parisien. A team of volunteers, medics present on the field, cater to any emergencies. The sport tests the endurance of the cyclists, and it requires nearly six months of preparation to get into shape to undertake a brevet.

“It is very tiring, and can give you dead legs once you are at home. It requires good preparation”, says Vinay Ram, a cycling enthusaist. Doing a brevet can open up possibilities to compete at the international level. “Few of the cyclists are preparing themselves to compete at Paris in 2015”, adds Mr Datta.