Pragati Saha
The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026, starting on Monday, showcases the size and global standards of one of India’s largest cycling events. The event features 164 cyclists from 28 teams in 35 countries cycling 437 km in the Sahyadri ranges.
The race will be held from January 20th to 23rd, 2026. The police commissioner of the Pune Police, Amitesh Kumar, marked the beginning of the 7.5km individual time-trial race from the Gopal Krishna Gokhale Chowk venue of the race at 1:30 pm.
Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, and the collector of Pune District, Jitendra Dudi were present on this occasion.
The cyclists started their race one minute apart. The finishing time for each cyclist determined their ranking. Onlookers gathered along the road, supporting the participants. The cyclists included 78 participants from Asia, 69 participants from Europe, and riders from other continents, while the Indian development team represented India.
The inaugural ceremony consisted of dhol-tasha performances. Other patriotic calls were organized to showcase the Pune heritage. Around 1500 policemen were posted along the race track to ensure a smooth process of the race.
The mascot,”Indu,” representing the endangered giant squirrel of the Sahyadris, drew attention and promoted a message of environmental awareness.
The objective was to organize an international event, emphasizing safety,discipline and smooth performance. “It is an honor to have cyclists from across the world to Pune, and such a tournament will mark Pune as a major hub for international events”, added Pune’s district collector, Jitendra Dudi.
In addition,cyclist Hayden James from the Australia Team Next Velofit remarked, “I am very happy to come here to Pune. The event planning is extremely precise and excellent. I am very excited for the actual race.”
Kee Yee from the Malaysian Cycling Team TSG Shimano Terengganu stated that it would be his first trip to India, claiming that the people here have been very nice to them, and have a very sporting spirit. He also believes that the roads here are suitable for racing.