Mumbai-Pune cycle race: Top cyclists battle heat, traffic

Around 157 professional cyclists participated in the 52nd edition of the Mumbai-Pune cycle race, which started from RK Studio in Chembur, Mumbai, on Sunday, March 25. Here, cyclists on their way from Khandala to Pune. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Updated on: Mar 26, 2018 5:07 PM IST

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Around 157 professional cyclists participated in the 52nd edition of the Mumbai-Pune cycle race, which started from RK Studio in Chembur, Mumbai, on Sunday, March 25. Here, cyclists on their way from Khandala to Pune. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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Cyclists started from Kala Ghoda at 7am, passing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and other city landmarks. The event was non-competitive till Chembur, from where the actual race began. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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Participants on the Vashi creek bridge on Sunday morning. Defending champion Dilawar Singh from Haryana and a host of the country’s top cyclists participated in the event. The total prize money was Rs 6 lakh, with the first-prize winner taking home Rs 1 lakh. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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Supporters cheer cyclists going uphill at Bhor Ghats on the old Mumbai-Pune Highway, the most gruelling stretch of the race. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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Bhor Ghat is located on the route between Khopoli and Khandala, on the Western Ghats. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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The 152-km competition, one of the longest running cycle races in the country, first began in 1946. It has been held continuously every year since 1980, though it missed a few years before that. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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Before 1971, the track was 200km and then it was cut down. After the Vashi bridge was built, the route got shorter still. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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Mumbai and Pune were in the throes of a heat wave on Sunday, with temperatures crossing the 40-degree mark, making the challenge more tough for participants. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

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The race, organised by Cycling Association of Maharashtra and Kreeda Jagruti Sports Pvt. Ltd.  with support from Giant Starkenn, finished opposite Sambhaji Garden on the arterial Jangli Maharaj Road in Pune, where there was a lot of traffic, which threw the last leg of the race into chaos.  (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)