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The 12th edition of the Hero MTB Himalaya will be conducted from the 24th of September to the 3rd of October 2016. Riders will cover 650 kms in 8 days across the Himalayas. The registrations for the 12th edition will start from 5th November 2015.
Touted as one of the toughest mountain biking adventure races in the world, the Hero MTB Himalaya successfully concluded its 11th edition on 04 October 2015 with Luis Leao Pinto taking away the crown of ‘King of the Himalayas’ as the winner in the Overall Category. The 11th edition of the race was a huge success with 68 riders participating from over 14 countries. The 7 stage XC race was held from 27 September – 04 October 2015 in Shimla.
RACE DETAILS
| Start Place | Shimla |
| Race Type | Cross country multi stage MTB endurance race |
| Terrain type | Off-road ,Broken Tarmac, Gravel , Rocks, Mud, Sand, Lose Rock |
| Average day climb | 2000 m |
| Total Elevation Gain | 15,000 m / 49,212 ft* |
| Distance | 650 kms* |
| Total Days | 9 |
| Total riding days | 8 |
| Start Date | 25 September 2016 |
| End Date | 03 October 2016 |
*All figures mentioned above are tentative and are subject to change
Internationally renowned and UCI ranked riders have participated in the race like Luis Leao Pinto (seeded world #9), Cory Wallace (#18), Pau Zamora (Buff Pro team member), Reimund Dietzen (German champion & Tour de France rider), Andi Seewald (UCI ranked #16), Ilda Periera (UCI ranked #13), Catherine Williamson (Cape Epic Winner), Sonia Lopes (the first and only female to win non-stop 500ml Portugal Bike Race), among others.
Hero MTB Himalaya has gained a lot of popularity among international riders and has become a go-to race on most riding calendars. By no means is it an easy race; It is as challenging and hard as it can be.
The race not only tests the mettle of each rider but also demands a strong power of will and mental he riders ride 620 kms through the mountains on unchartered territories, unforeseen conditions and never-before-experienced nature. It is a feat to cover this distance in 7 days with a net elevation gain of 50,000 ft. Even the most seasoned and professional riders found it to be a difficult race.
The altitude and the topography is what make this race one of a kind. It is a pure adventure race that pushes every rider to give in his best and conquer the Himalayas. With the 12th edition in preparation, parent body HASTPA is all set to take the riders to a different level of exhilaration and mountain biking.
'This year's race was markedly different from all others so far, in terms of logistics, route difficulty, rider participation, camp preparation and execution. It has been our constant endavour to incorporate feedback from riders and make the race better each time. For the 12th edition, we have created a new category for riders aged between 51-60 years. The average elevation this year is going to be 2000 m in every stage - making the 12th edition of Hero MTB Himalaya tougher and even more challenging. ' said Mr. Mohit Sood, President HASTPA.
The different categories under which the riders can participate are:
· Open Men Solo
· Open Women Solo
· Masters (40-50 years)
· Grand Masters (51-60 years)
· Team of Two
