Cycling
HCL announces its first Cycling initiative: HCL Cyclothon
HCL Cyclothon will be held on March 19, 2023, in Noida and will cater to professional cyclists and amateurs; Registrations are open till February 28, 2023
From L to R Abhishek Mishra- Event Director- HCL Cyclothon_ Sundar Mahalingam, President- Strategy at HCL Corporation and Onkar Singh, Secretary General, Asian Cycling Confederation.
HCL, a leading global conglomerate, today announced the launch of its first cycling initiative, HCL Cyclothon. Through this initiative, HCL aims to create a platform for professional cyclists to showcase their talent, inspire and motivate a new generation of cyclists to take up this sport in India.
The first HCL Cyclothon will be organized in association with the Uttar Pradesh Government and will be held in Noida on March 19, 2023. Registrations are open till 28 February 2023 and details are available at www.hclcyclothon.com.
The event was attended by 40-50 amateur and three national cycling champions including Shiven (Mountain Biking), Harshveer Singh Sekhon (Road Race) and Swasti Singh (Road Race).
Cycling Federation of India, the national governing body of cycle racing in India will provide technical support basis their knowledge and expertise. The total prize purse of this initiative is Rs. 32 lakhs which is the highest in India for any cycling race.
HCL Cyclothon will cater to professional cyclists as well as amateurs across age groups and categories including:
Category | Description | Age-group | Distance |
Professionals (CFI-certified cyclists) | Only CFI licenced cyclists can participate in this category. | 19-35 years | 60km Road Race |
Amateur | This is open for Road and MTB (mountain bike) Registration required. | Elite: 18-35 years; Masters: 35+ years | 60km Road race 30km MTB race (Mountain Bike) |
Green Ride | It's a non-competitive ride to encourage cycling as an activity to stay fit and healthy. Corporates, RWAs and college students can register and participate in this category. | 18+ years | 15km |
"Encouraging sports is a priority for the UP Government and over the past few years, the govt has made significant contributions in promoting sports and help foster a sports culture in the state. Considering the growing awareness of the benefits of cycling and the government's thrust on environmental-friendly mobility, we are happy to be associated with HCL Cyclothon. This event is starting at a very opportune time when India has taken up the G-20 leadership and Noida is one of the host cities," said Mr. Navneet Sehgal, Additional Chief Secretary, Sports and Youth Welfare, Govt of Uttar Pradesh.
Sundar Mahalingam, President - Strategy, HCL Corporation, said, "HCL's core brand philosophy is 'Human Potential. Multiplied,' aimed at amplifying the potential of not just individuals, but communities and societies. Sports is a great leveller and can bring people together and this is why we are interested in sports. There has been a growing interest around cycling globally, both as a means of transportation, as well as a sport. We are keen to build and support it, aiming to popularize the sport by giving professionals and amateurs a world-class platform and recognition. HCL Cyclothon is a long-term initiative and we plan to host this annually. The first event will be held this year in March."
Commenting on the announcement Onkar Singh, Secretary General at the Asian Cycling Federation said, "We are thrilled to partner with HCL for this initiative. Cycling as a life choice is growing at a healthy pace, we wish to encourage this trend and cultivate a love for cycling in people from all age groups. Competitive cycling continues to be a niche sport that we hope to grow and popularize through initiatives such as this. The collective support that corporates like HCL can bring is significant in terms of leveraging necessary processes and strengths to help nurture Indian professional cyclists while also reaching out to mass talent from across the country."
