A Nepalese national, 26-year old Ajay Pandit Chhetri broke last year’s record emerging as the winner of the Tour of the Dragon on September 6. He completed the 263-km bike race in 10 hours, 42 minutes.
Ajay completed the race 40 minutes faster than last year’s champion, Sonam who managed to come third this time completing the race in 11 hours 23 minutes. The first runners up was Raj Kumar Shrestra, another Nepalese who also broke last year’s record by completing the race 15 minutes faster.
Forty six cyclists took part in the race, including six women and international participants from Japan, USA, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Germany and Netherlands. Only 24 completed the race.
The winner took home Nu 150,000 with a trophy and the first runners up, Nu 95,000. The third received Nu 75,000. Tour of the Dragon considered to be one of the toughest one-day mountain bike races in the world passes through altitudes ranging from 1,200m to 3,340m crossing four mountains passes from central to western Bhutan.