History beckons Bengaluru's women cyclists

Bengaluru, November 13: Eight women cyclists from Bengaluru are on the verge of creating history as they are halfway through in a unique riding event, held under the auspices of the World Ultra Cycling Association (WUCA).

A unique feature of the two-day event that began near Hoskote in the outskirts of the city on Saturday (November 13) is that the ride course is a 50 km loop starting from Vishnu Bhavan and ending at the same point on Kolar Road, Bengaluru.

The eight women, who come from different walks of life in the Garden City had set themselves a target to achieve something unique -- covering a distance of nearly 1,000 km distance relay record and as Day 1 concluded they are almost halfway through.

Bengaluru's women cyclists gear up for unique ride

The course of the event has already been validated and approved by WUCA. The officials will be auditing the entire duration from start to finish before qualifying the record.

"What makes our effort unique is that nobody has done it before. If we can cover almost the same distance as we did today then that'll be a great effort," said Anjana Deepak, one among the eight riders.

Though the eight riders come from different strata of the society, they all are in rugged unison when it comes to their love for cycling.

In the past, these eight women have done some incredible cycling distances of 200, 300, 400 and 600kms in Bengaluru and other parts of India.

For example, Anjana, a fitness enthusiast and mother of two children, is a senior executive with Fortune Global 500 company.

Anjana is someone who finds solace in cycling.

"Cycling provides much needed relief from the doldrums of day-to-day life. It helps us keep motivated," added Anjana, for whom a 100-km cycle ride is part of her Sunday routine.

The same goes with the rest of the team.

"We come from different backgrounds and places. Cycling brought us together -- be it by word of mouth or through contacts, now we are hooked into it," Anjana added.

And come Sunday history beckons these eight women of power!