From Tour de Chamasari and the Foothills MTB Challenge to a growing pathway for young riders, national competition and international representation

Uttarakhand has never lacked mountains. What it has needed is a sporting ecosystem capable of turning those mountains into opportunities—for athletes, young people, adventure professionals, local communities and the wider tourism economy.

Over the last several years, AdvenThrill, founded and led by Vijay Pratap Singh, has made a sustained contribution toward creating such an ecosystem through mountain biking, cycling races, adventure events, youth engagement and outdoor education.

Created opportunities for junior and amateur riders, promoted road and cycling safety, and helped put the Himalayan foothills on the radar of India's cycling community.

The journey is important not simply because AdvenThrill organised races. It is important because the organisation attempted to create a platform around the sport—a platform where a young cyclist could begin as an amateur, compete against stronger riders, gain exposure, learn race discipline, build confidence and potentially progress toward national and international competition.

The journeys of riders such as Ashish Sherpa and Tsewang Norbo make that possibility particularly compelling

THE BEGINNING: VIJAY PRATAP SINGH AND THE IDEA OF ADVENTURE WITH PURPOSE

The development of mountain biking through AdvenThrill cannot be separated from the personal journey of its founder, Vijay Pratap Singh.

Vijay came from a conventional professional background, including a career in banking, but eventually chose to move toward the mountains and outdoor adventure. His own transformation became the foundation for AdvenThrill's philosophy: adventure should not merely be about recreation or reaching a destination; it should develop confidence, discipline, resilience, decision-making and a willingness to challenge personal limitations.

AdvenThrill's current founder profile describes Vijay as a mountaineer, entrepreneur and outdoor educator with experience in high-altitude expeditions, alpine climbing, cycling expeditions and outdoor leadership. (Adventhrill)

Cycling became an important part of this journey.

Vijay undertook demanding long-distance cycling expeditions, including Dehradun to Spiti Valley and Dehradun to Kanyakumari. These journeys exposed him personally to endurance riding, changing terrain, long-distance logistics, physical fatigue, navigation and the mental demands of cycling across India. (Adventhrill)

That personal experience eventually translated into a larger objective:

If cycling can transform an individual, organised cycling can also create opportunities for an entire generation.

This philosophy became increasingly visible through AdvenThrill's cycling initiatives.

BUILDING THE EARLY CYCLING CULTURE: TOUR DE CHAMASARI

One of the important early cycling initiatives associated with AdvenThrill was the Tour de Chamasari, a mountain-bike hill-climb race in the Dehradun region.

CyclingMonks later described AdvenThrill as a Dehradun-based organiser conducting local MTB races, particularly XC-style events and hill climbs because of the city's location at the foothills of the Himalayas, identifying Tour de Chamasari as one of its main races. (Cycling Monks)

A 2020 announcement for Tour de Chamasari described a 25-kilometre uphill MTB race beginning from Maharana Pratap Chowk in Raipur, Dehradun. It included junior, senior and masters categories and, importantly, placed strong emphasis on safety. The organiser's message was explicit:

“No Helmet, No Ride.”

Participants were expected to carry personal safety equipment, puncture kits and pumps, with helmets compulsory. COVID-era arrangements also included thermal screening, sanitisation and support vehicles. (News Post)

This was an important foundation.

AdvenThrill was not introducing mountain biking merely as an adrenaline activity.

It was introducing a culture built around:

competition, fitness, safety, discipline and responsible riding.

That philosophy would later become one of the defining characteristics of the Foothills MTB Challenge.

CYCLING DURING COVID: KEEPING THE SPORT ALIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented disruption to outdoor sport and tourism.

Cycling races, trekking, mountaineering and adventure activities were severely affected. Many young people and outdoor-sector professionals also faced economic uncertainty.

Instead of completely stopping its sporting engagement, AdvenThrill moved several activities online.

According to the contemporary AdvenThrill report supplied for this article, approximately 1,000 people from across India participated in online indoor and outdoor competitions organised during the COVID period while remaining in their respective cities. Activities included running, cycling and yoga, with participants recording their activities and submitting them to the organisers. T-shirts and medals were subsequently sent to participants.

The purpose, according to Vijay Pratap Singh, was not simply competition. It was to keep sports activity alive, reduce mental stress and support people connected with tourism and outdoor activities during a period when normal operations had stopped.

The same report notes that AdvenThrill had already been organising cycling races, trekking, mountaineering and wildlife-photography activities before the pandemic.

More importantly, AdvenThrill also linked outdoor activities with youth employability and entrepreneurship. The report records that the organisation was working to make young people aware of self-employment opportunities and had an institutional engagement with IIM Kashipur, through which students received training in related activities.

Vijay also expressed a longer-term objective of creating more employment opportunities in mountain regions and encouraging Uttarakhand's youth to move from migration toward self-employment.

This is significant because it places cycling within a much larger AdvenThrill vision:

Outdoor sport was not only about winning races; it was also about creating confidence, skills, employment and opportunities.

THE FOOTHILLS MTB CHALLENGE: A RACE WITH A PURPOSE

The next major step was the Foothills MTB Challenge.

The race was created in memory of Late Master Tanishk Chaudhary, a young and talented cyclist who tragically lost his life in a road accident.

The first Foothills MTB Challenge in 2021 therefore carried an emotional purpose from the very beginning.

CyclingMonks' 2021 race report described the event as a hill-climb race organised by AdvenThrill in partnership with CyclingMonks and held on 14 April 2021, with the objective of reaching the top first and being crowned the King or Queen of the Mountain. The race was held in Tanishk's memory on his birthday. (Cycling Monks)

Tanishk's father and younger brother were present at the start, with his father flagging off the riders. The symbolism was powerful: a cycling community choosing to remember a young cyclist by continuing to race. (Cycling Monks)

The race was therefore born with three interconnected messages:

Remember the rider.

Promote cycling.

Ride responsibly.

FOOTHILLS MTB CHALLENGE 2021 — THE FIRST MAJOR PLATFORM

The 2021 edition established the character of the event.

It was a hill-climb MTB race designed around the natural geography of Dehradun and the Himalayan foothills. The route was not highly technical, but sections of deep dirt, loose gravel and rough terrain made the climb challenging. AdvenThrill provided energy drinks and chocolates along the course to help riders complete the challenge. (Cycling Monks)

The event attracted 60 registered racers, a substantial number for an emerging cycling event in Dehradun at the time. (Cycling Monks)

More importantly, the race already demonstrated geographical diversity.

Riders came from:

• Himachal Pradesh

• Odisha

• Maharashtra

• different parts of Uttarakhand

• and even the USA

CyclingMonks specifically noted the participation of an American rider, showing that the race had begun to attract attention beyond Uttarakhand and beyond India's immediate cycling circles. (Cycling Monks)

The event also included:

four women riders,

a 14-year-old participant,

and three riders aged above 60. (Cycling Monks)

That diversity is important in evaluating AdvenThrill's contribution.

A sporting ecosystem cannot be built exclusively around established professionals.

It must create space for:

juniors, women, amateurs, masters, local riders, and elite competitors.

The Foothills MTB Challenge began doing exactly that.

The race was supported by a network of race officials, volunteers, photographers, hydration and refreshment partners and technical-support personnel. CyclingMonks specifically identified Naresh Singh Nayal as Race Director, Vinod Saklani and Manish Bhat as referees, and several volunteers and AdvenThrill photographers. The report also singled out Vijay Singh as the person behind AdvenThrill who made the race possible. (Cycling Monks)

FOOTHILLS MTB CHALLENGE 2022 — FROM LOCAL RACE TO NATIONAL EVENT

The second edition in 2022 represented a major step forward.

The race expanded into a two-day stage race, bringing together approximately 70 riders from across India. The contemporary Garhwal Post report confirms the participation of cyclists from multiple states and describes the event as the second edition of the Foothills MTB Challenge organised by AdvenThrill in memory of Tanishk. (Garhwal Post)

The CyclingMonks post-event report records:

70 racers

2 days of racing

27 km of climbing

10 category winners

The 2022 field represented a significant geographical spread, including riders from states and regions such as Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. (Garhwal Post)

This was no longer simply a Dehradun cycling event.

Uttarakhand had become a meeting point for India's MTB community.

THE 2022 RACE: REAL COMPETITION IN THE HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS

The first stage tested the riders over a demanding mountain course beginning from Dehradun and moving toward the Maldeota/Sarona/Silla Road region.

The second stage started around Musee Art Cafe and finished toward Rajpur through the jungle trail.

The event combined climbing, trail riding, descending, endurance and race strategy. (Garhwal Post)

The elite race produced a highly competitive battle.

The eventual men's podium was:

1. Ashish Sherpa

2. Devender Thakur

3. David Kumar

CyclingMonks' race report describes the final stages of the competition and records Ashish Sherpa as the overall winner, followed by Devender Thakur and David Kumar. (Cycling Monks)

The Garhwal Post also recorded the same overall podium and noted that Devender Thakur was an Indian-team cyclist while Ashish Sherpa and David Kumar were among the prominent riders in the field. (Garhwal Post)

The race therefore provided local and younger riders an opportunity to compete alongside athletes with significantly greater national and international experience.

That is an important contribution in itself.

A developing cyclist improves fastest when the level around him rises.

WOMEN'S MTB: CREATING SPACE FOR FEMALE RIDERS

The 2022 Foothills event also included a dedicated women's category.

Five women competed, with:

1. Priyanka Mehta

2. Saumya/Somya Gurung

3. Anjali Bhandari

CyclingMonks records Priyanka Mehta as the winner, with Saumya second and Anjali Bhandari third. (Cycling Monks)

The Garhwal Post report adds an important detail: Priyanka Mehta and Anjali Bhandari were associated with the AdvenThrill riding team, with Priyanka taking first and Anjali third. (Garhwal Post)

This demonstrates that AdvenThrill's contribution was not limited to bringing external athletes to Uttarakhand.

It was also building its own riding community.

THE JUNIOR CATEGORY: WHERE THE FUTURE OF INDIAN MTB BEGINS

One of the most important elements of the Foothills MTB Challenge was the inclusion of young riders.

In 2022, the Under-18 podium was:

1. Tsewang Norbo

2. Devansh Panwar

3. Arnav Gogia

(Cycling Monks)

At that moment, Tsewang was simply a young rider who had won a junior MTB category in Dehradun.

But his subsequent journey gives this result much greater significance.

TSEWANG NORBO: FROM FOOTHILLS JUNIOR WINNER TO TEAM INDIA

The name of Tsewang Norbo, also appearing in later sources as Tsewang Norboo, is particularly important to the Foothills story.

In 2022, he won the Under-18 category at the Foothills MTB Challenge. (Cycling Monks)

In 2026, CyclingMonks reported on the Asian Mountain Bike Championships in Uzbekistan, where Tsewang Norboo was part of the Indian team alongside Ashish Sherpa and other Indian riders. The Indian Mixed Elite Relay team won bronze, with the team comprising Ashish Sherpa, Pranita Soman, K. Hashini, Santosh Pranesh, Manali Ratnoji and Tsewang Norboo. (Cycling Monks)

Tsewang also competed in the Men's Elite Cross-Country Eliminator at the Asian Championships and finished 10th, the best-placed Indian in that event. (Cycling Monks)

This is an extraordinary progression to place beside his 2022 Foothills result.

2022

Foothills MTB Challenge — Under-18 Champion

↓

National-level development

↓

Indian MTB selection

↓

2026

Team India — Asian Mountain Bike Championships

↓

Asian Championship Mixed Relay Bronze

It would be inaccurate to claim that winning the Foothills MTB Challenge directly caused his selection for Team India. International selection is the result of years of training, performance, trials and competition.

But it is entirely legitimate to recognise the Foothills MTB Challenge as one of the competitive platforms in his development journey.

And this is exactly what a grassroots race should aspire to become.

A place where India's future athletes can first prove themselves.

DEVENDER THAKUR: BRINGING INDIA'S ELITE MTB EXPERIENCE TO THE FOOTHILLS

The significance of the 2022 Foothills MTB Challenge becomes even clearer when the calibre of riders who lined up at the start is examined.

Among them was Devender Thakur of Himachal Pradesh, one of India's established cross-country mountain bikers and a rider with a substantial competitive record well before he came to Dehradun.

At Foothills 2022, Devender was not merely another participant.

He was one of the strongest riders in the field.

The race report from CyclingMonks describes how, during the first stage, a group of seven elite riders broke away from the chasing pack. With approximately four kilometres remaining on the climb, Devender Thakur attacked, and only Ashish Sherpa and David Kumar were able to follow him. The three riders then repeatedly attacked each other until the summit.

That sequence is significant because it demonstrates the level of competition that AdvenThrill had brought to Dehradun.

The Foothills MTB Challenge was not simply giving local riders a chance to compete against other amateurs.

It was putting them in the same competitive environment as riders who had already established themselves in India's MTB racing scene.

And Devender Thakur was one of those riders.

DEVENDER'S MTB JOURNEY BEFORE FOOTHILLS

Devender's career had already developed considerably before the 2022 Foothills race.

His competitive record includes:

• Gold — Himalayan Mountain Bike Festival, 2015

• Bronze — MTB National Championships, 2015

• Gold — MTB Shimla, 2016

• Participation — Germany Transalp, 2016

• Gold — Hero MTB Himalaya, 2016

• Gold — The Hell Race, 2016

• Silver — Bangalore Mountain Festival, 2016

• Bronze — MTB Nationals Individual Time Trial, 2021

He had also been competing at the highest levels of Indian MTB racing for years.

In 2015, Devender won the MTB Shimla race, defeating an international field that included Germany's Hinrich Fuchs.

In 2016, he represented India in the BIKE Transalp, a major international multi-stage mountain-bike event, alongside fellow Indian rider Shiven. Their participation was significant because it was described at the time as the first Indian representation at the Transalp.

The same year, Devender won the Hero MTB Himalaya, one of India's most important mountain-bike stage races.

He was therefore bringing years of elite racing experience to the Foothills start line.

ASHISH SHERPA: FOOTHILLS CHAMPION AND TEAM INDIA ATHLETE

The second major athlete story is Ashish Sherpa.

Ashish won the Men's Elite category at the 2022 Foothills MTB Challenge after a highly competitive battle with Devender Thakur and David Kumar. (Cycling Monks)

But Ashish's career was already significant before Foothills.

His athlete profile records international racing experience, including the Hero MTB Himalaya, where he achieved the distinction of being the best Asian rider, as well as representation for India in international races. He also won or podiumed at several major Indian MTB events. (Steadfast Nutrition)

His 2026 career provides another important link.

At the 2026 MTB Trials in Morni Hills, Ashish finished second in the Men's Elite trial, representing Himachal Pradesh. (CFI India)

He subsequently competed for India at the 2026 Asian Mountain Bike Championships in Uzbekistan, where he was part of India's bronze-medal mixed relay team. He also finished 19th in the Men's Elite Cross-Country Olympic event and 18th in the Cross-Country Eliminator. (Cycling Monks)

Therefore, the Foothills story contains another remarkable progression:

Ashish Sherpa

Foothills MTB Challenge 2022 — Elite Champion

↓

National-level MTB competitor

↓

International racing experience

↓

Team India

↓

2026 Asian Mountain Bike Championships

↓

Asian Championship Mixed Relay Bronze

Again, the correct interpretation is not that AdvenThrill single-handedly created Ashish's international career.

Ashish's talent, training, determination and years of racing built that career.

But AdvenThrill created a stage where a rider of his calibre could compete in Uttarakhand—and where younger riders could watch, race against and learn from him.

That is a meaningful contribution to the development of MTB.

DAVID KUMAR: INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE COMES TO THE FOOTHILLS

Another important name in the 2022 race was David Kumar.

David finished third overall behind Ashish Sherpa and Devender Thakur at Foothills 2022. (Cycling Monks)

It is worth describing David accurately.

He was not a foreign rider.

He was an Indian professional mountain biker with substantial international racing experience.

His profile records participation in the international Hero MTB Himalaya, where he finished among the top Indian riders and achieved a top-10 overall position among international competitors. He also raced internationally in South Africa. (davidkumar.in)

His international racing background included competition alongside riders from Europe and Asia, and his achievements included strong results at MTB Himalaya and other major Indian MTB events. (Steadfast Nutrition)

Therefore, when David Kumar came to compete at the Foothills MTB Challenge, the importance was not merely that another strong cyclist had entered the race.

It meant that young riders in Uttarakhand had an opportunity to line up against someone who had already experienced international MTB competition.

That is a form of international exposure that is often underestimated.

International exposure does not always mean bringing a foreign team to Uttarakhand.

Sometimes it means bringing internationally experienced Indian athletes to the start line and allowing the next generation to race alongside them.

FOOTHILLS 2022: DEVENDER THAKUR VS ASHISH SHERPA VS DAVID KUMAR

The 2022 Foothills MTB Challenge produced one of the strongest elite fields in the event's history.

The three leading riders were:

Ashish Sherpa

Devender Thakur

David Kumar

All three pushed each other throughout the two-stage race.

During Stage 1, Devender attacked on the final section of the climb, forcing Ashish and David to respond. Ashish eventually created a substantial lead on the descent and finished the first day approximately three minutes ahead of Devender and David.

Because Stage 2 was only around 20 kilometres, the first day's result became strategically important.

But the second stage was raced at extremely high intensity.

The leading riders attacked from the beginning, with the top three eventually breaking away and maintaining their advantage until the finish. CyclingMonks reported that they rode the second day's trail and asphalt section at approximately 25 km/h, illustrating the intensity of the competition.

The final overall podium was:

🥇 Ashish Sherpa

🥈 Devender Thakur

🥉 David Kumar

For AdvenThrill, this was an important milestone.

The Foothills MTB Challenge had successfully created a race capable of attracting riders who had already competed at national and international levels.

WHY DEVENDER'S PARTICIPATION MATTERED FOR UTTARAKHAND

Devender's participation had a significance beyond his second-place finish.

For developing riders in Uttarakhand, racing alongside someone with his experience provided a real-world learning environment.

Devender had already competed at:

MTB Nationals

Hero MTB Himalaya

MTB Shimla

Bangalore Mountain Festival

Germany Transalp

and other major competitions.

He had raced against international riders and had represented India in international competition.

He also had extensive experience in the realities of competitive MTB—training, equipment, climbing strategy, descending, nutrition, recovery and race management.

Therefore, when such a rider came to Dehradun, the young cyclists at Foothills were not simply seeing an elite athlete on a podium.

They were seeing what the next level of the sport could look like.

DEVENDER AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF INDIAN MTB

There is another important aspect to Devender's story.

He has historically been associated with the development of younger Indian mountain bikers.

An interview with Sport360 in 2016 described Devender and Shiven as among the emerging leading riders of Indian mountain biking and recorded Devender's desire to see Indian riders eventually reach the Olympics. He also spoke about advising younger riders and helping them understand how to progress in the sport.

This makes his presence at Foothills particularly appropriate.

AdvenThrill's objective was to create a platform where youth could become more aware of sport and participate enthusiastically. CyclingMonks' 2022 report specifically records Vijay Pratap Singh's statement that AdvenThrill intended to continue organising major cycling and safety events because such events make youth more aware of sports.

So the presence of an experienced athlete such as Devender created a natural bridge:

Established Indian MTB generation

↓

Foothills MTB Challenge

↓

Young and emerging riders

↓

Future Indian MTB athletes

This is exactly the kind of ecosystem required for a sport to grow.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RACING AGAINST INTERNATIONAL-LEVEL RIDERS

For a young cyclist, watching an international race on YouTube is one thing.

Standing next to an internationally experienced athlete on a starting line is something completely different.

The young rider can observe:

How the rider warms up.

How the bike is prepared.

How equipment is selected.

How the rider positions himself at the start.

How climbs are paced.

How technical sections are approached.

How energy is conserved.

How attacks are made.

How recovery is handled.

How the rider behaves before and after competition.

This is why the participation of athletes such as David Kumar and Ashish Sherpa matters beyond their individual results.

They raise the standard of the entire field.

VIJAY PRATAP SINGH'S ROLE: FROM RIDER TO PLATFORM BUILDER

The contribution of Vijay Pratap Singh needs to be understood beyond the title of race organiser.

He brought together several different roles.

He was already a cyclist who had undertaken long-distance Himalayan and national cycling expeditions.

He was an adventurer with experience in demanding mountain environments.

He was an entrepreneur building an outdoor organisation.

He became a race organiser creating MTB competitions.

He became a platform builder bringing riders from different parts of India to Uttarakhand.

And increasingly, he became a mentor and opportunity creator for young people.

AdvenThrill's own published profile states that Vijay created MTB races, marathons and outdoor challenges to give aspiring young people a safe and structured platform to test their abilities. (Adventhrill)

His philosophy has consistently connected adventure with personal growth.

That philosophy can be seen clearly in the way he used Foothills.

THE SPITI CYCLING TOUR: REWARDING PERFORMANCE WITH ANOTHER ADVENTURE

One particularly distinctive initiative came during the 2022 Foothills MTB Challenge.

Rather than limiting recognition to medals and prize money, Vijay Pratap Singh awarded free cycling coupons for a Spiti Cycling Tour to category winners and young cyclists.

The Garhwal Post reported that Vijay made this announcement and said AdvenThrill would continue organising larger cycling and safety events. (Garhwal Post)

This reveals an important part of the AdvenThrill philosophy:

The reward for performing well in one adventure can be the opportunity to undertake another.

A cyclist doesn't simply receive a trophy.

The cyclist receives another mountain.

Another journey.

Another experience.

Another opportunity to grow.

PRIZE MONEY: MAKING COMPETITION MATTER

The 2022 Foothills MTB Challenge also provided meaningful financial incentives.

The men's category awarded:

₹50,000 — First

₹30,000 — Second

₹20,000 — Third

The women's category awarded:

₹25,000 — First

₹15,000 — Second

₹10,000 — Third

(Garhwal Post)

The involvement of Uttarakhand Tourism and senior officials further increased the institutional visibility of the event. The Garhwal Post reported that the Director General of Police, Ashok Kumar, presented trophies, while Uttarakhand Tourism's Adventure Sports Director presented the prize cheques. (Garhwal Post)

For an emerging cyclist, such recognition matters.

It tells the athlete that the effort is being taken seriously.

BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL RACE ECOSYSTEM

A successful MTB event requires much more than a start line and a finish line.

The 2022 Foothills event had a wider team involving:

Race Director — Naresh Singh Nayal

Referees — Vinod Saklani and Apoorva Saklani

Trail construction — Aryan Singh

Along with support from Kaushal Pandey, Shubhendra Shahi, Vaibhav Uniyal, Ashmit Rawat, Yash Arya, Vedant Rastogi and Gambhir Singh, among others. (Garhwal Post)

The 2021 race similarly required race officials, volunteers, photographers, hydration support, refreshments and technical assistance. (Cycling Monks)

This creates opportunities beyond the athletes themselves.

An MTB ecosystem needs:

trail builders, mechanics, race officials, photographers, content creators, medical personnel, event managers, volunteers, guides, hospitality providers, and outdoor professionals.

Therefore, the development of MTB can also contribute to the development of the wider adventure economy.

MEDIA AND DIGITAL EXPOSURE: TAKING UTTARAKHAND MTB BEYOND THE TRAIL

Another significant contribution of AdvenThrill has been its effort to document and promote cycling digitally.

The 2022 post-event report records that the race report published on CyclingMonks received 2,200+ views and became the first article on Google for the relevant search.

The campaign generated:

Instagram — 7,000 impressions and 800+ interactions

Facebook — 2,000+ impressions and 67 interactions

20 Instagram Stories — 20,000+ impressions and 200+ interactions

Twitter — 400 impressions and 75 interactions

Strava — 3,800 impressions and 190 interactions

Email — 400 recipients

The report's consolidated figure was:

35,800 people reached

1,500 people interacted

This matters because the race was no longer confined to Dehradun.

Its riders, trails, photographs, results and stories became visible to cycling communities outside Uttarakhand.

That is how a local sporting event begins developing national and international relevance.

CYCLINGMONKS AND THE RECOGNITION OF ADVENTHRILL'S ROLE

The independent cycling community also recognised AdvenThrill's contribution.

CyclingMonks' 2021 race report described Dehradun as having a strong and developing MTB culture because of its location at the base of the hills, and presented the Foothills MTB Challenge as a natural extension of that environment. (Cycling Monks)

Its 2022 race report went further, describing AdvenThrill as an organiser doing a great job of promoting cycling in Dehradun and calling the 2022 Foothills event another significant achievement for the organisation. (Cycling Monks)

CyclingMonks had also independently included AdvenThrill among India's amateur bicycle-race organisers, describing the organisation as conducting local XC MTB and hill-climb races in Dehradun and identifying Tour de Chamasari as one of its principal events. (Cycling Monks)

This is important because it shows that the contribution was not only self-described by AdvenThrill.

It was also visible to an independent cycling publication.

FOOTHILLS MTB CHALLENGE 2025: THE THIRD EDITION

The journey continued.

The third edition of the Foothills MTB Challenge was held from 12 to 14 April 2025 in Uttarakhand. CyclingMonks described it as another demanding edition organised by AdvenThrill, with riders competing over two technical stages. (Cycling Monks)

The first stage consisted of technical loops around the Sura Devi trails.

The second stage took riders from Musee Art Café toward Sarona via Sahastradhara in a demanding cross-country course. (Cycling Monks)

The routes tested:

power,

endurance,

singletrack ability,

technical descending,

and race strategy.

The race featured Open, Junior and Masters categories, attracting cyclists from different parts of India. (Cycling Monks)

The overall podium was:

1. Ayush Negi — 2:25:54

2. Sarthak Bisht — 2:28:14

3. Ashwin Rauthan — 2:38:31

The Under-18 podium was:

1. Ashwin Rauthan

2. Bhanu Payal

3. Sourish

(Cycling Monks)

The 2025 edition also reinforced the emotional identity of the event as a tribute to Late Master Tanishk Chaudhary and continued its message around road safety, youth encouragement and responsible outdoor recreation. (Cycling Monks)

By this point, Foothills was no longer an experiment.

It had become an established MTB event in Uttarakhand.

FOOTHILLS MTB CHALLENGE 4.0 — 2026

The journey reached its fourth edition in 2026.

AdvenThrill's official communication records Foothills MTB Challenge 4.0, held in memory of Late Master Tanishk, with riders and support teams coming together for another edition of the race. (LinkedIn)

The 2026 results included:

Men's Open

1. Prajjwal Chauhan

2. Abhay Verma

3. Bhanu Payal

Women's Category

1. Vandana Singh

2. Archana Mohanty

3. Megha Visnoi

(LinkedIn)

The fourth edition also demonstrates how much the organisational side of the event has matured.

The official race acknowledgement recognises the work of:

Shri Naresh Singh Nayal, Shri Vinod Saklani, Apurv Saklani

Raja Goswami, Deepanshu, Kunal Parihar, Arjun, Pradeep, Dr. Suraj, NCC cadets

and other volunteers and organisers involved in route management, traffic control, emergency preparedness, officiating and race operations. (LinkedIn)

This is a clear indication that Foothills has evolved from a simple cycling competition into a more structured sporting event

FOUR EDITIONS, ONE CONTINUOUS OBJECTIVE

The evolution of the Foothills MTB Challenge can now be understood as a continuous journey:

Early years

Tour de Chamasari and local MTB races

Creating a cycling culture in Dehradun and promoting safety.

↓

2021

Foothills MTB Challenge — First major edition

60 riders, national participation and an American participant; juniors, women and masters represented.

↓

2022

Foothills MTB Challenge — National stage race

70 riders, two days, multiple states, elite competition, women's and junior categories.

↓

2025

Foothills MTB Challenge — Third edition

More technical trails, Open, Junior and Masters categories and broader participation.

↓

2026

Foothills MTB Challenge 4.0

Fourth edition, stronger race-management systems and continued national and wider exposure.

The event has therefore demonstrated something more valuable than one successful race:

Continuity.

THE FOOTHILLS–TEAM INDIA CONNECTION

Perhaps the most compelling part of this entire story is the athlete-development connection.

Two names stand out.

ASHISH SHERPA

Foothills 2022 — Men's Elite Champion

↓

National-level competition

↓

International racing

↓

Team India

↓

2026 Asian Mountain Bike Championships

↓

Asian Championship Mixed Relay Bronze

(Cycling Monks)

TSEWANG NORBO/NORBOO

Foothills 2022 — Under-18 Champion

↓

National-level development

↓

Team India

↓

2026 Asian Mountain Bike Championships

↓

Asian Championship Mixed Relay Bronze

↓

10th in Men's Elite Cross-Country Eliminator

(Cycling Monks)

The Foothills MTB Challenge did not single-handedly create these international athletes.

Their success belongs first to the athletes themselves—their talent, families, coaches, training, sacrifices and years of competition.

But the existence of a credible grassroots race gives young cyclists something essential:

A place to start.

And that is where the contribution of AdvenThrill becomes significant

INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE: WHAT ADVENTHRILL HAS ACTUALLY CREATED

The phrase “international exposure” is sometimes used loosely in sports promotion.

In the case of Foothills, it is better understood through several concrete dimensions.

First, the 2021 edition already included a rider from the USA. (Cycling Monks)

Second, the 2022 race brought riders from numerous Indian states and regions to Uttarakhand. (Garhwal Post)

Third, internationally experienced Indian riders such as David Kumar competed at Foothills. David had already competed at international events and against international fields before racing in Dehradun. (davidkumar.in)

Fourth, the race was digitally promoted beyond its physical location, reaching 35,800 people through the 2022 CyclingMonks campaign.

And fifth—and most importantly—riders who competed at Foothills subsequently progressed into the Indian national and international MTB ecosystem.

Therefore, Foothills has provided a form of international exposure that is arguably more meaningful than simply attaching the word “international” to an event.

It has helped connect Uttarakhand's grassroots cycling environment with the larger Indian and international MTB ecosystem.

UTTARAKHAND AS A MOUNTAIN-BIKING DESTINATION

The development of MTB also has implications beyond sport.

Uttarakhand possesses an extraordinary natural advantage.

The state offers:

mountain roads, forest trails, technical singletrack, steep climbs, high-altitude terrain, village routes, cross-country trails, and Himalayan landscapes.

But geography alone does not make a destination a mountain-biking destination.

A true cycling destination requires:

races, routes, safety systems, local guides, trail development, accommodation, transportation, events, media coverage, and a community of riders.

AdvenThrill's work has contributed to several of these elements.

When riders travel from Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Ladakh and other parts of India to compete in Dehradun, they also experience Uttarakhand as a destination.

That creates sports tourism.

A cyclist who comes for a race may stay in the region, eat locally, travel locally, meet local people and return home with a story about Uttarakhand.

MTB AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

The contribution of mountain biking cannot be measured only in race timings.

For young people, cycling develops qualities that extend far beyond sport.

It teaches:

Discipline

Training requires consistency.

Resilience

The mountain does not become easier simply because the rider is tired.

Decision-making

Technical riding requires constant judgement.

Risk awareness

The rider learns to distinguish courage from unnecessary risk.

Goal-setting

A race creates a measurable objective.

Teamwork

Cyclists depend on teammates, mechanics, organisers and support crews.

Confidence

Completing a difficult climb creates tangible proof of one's ability.

These values are consistent with AdvenThrill's broader outdoor philosophy, which emphasises confidence, teamwork, decision-making, mental strength and personal transformation. (Adventhrill)

FROM ATHLETE TO OUTDOOR PROFESSIONAL

Another important aspect of AdvenThrill's contribution is that the MTB ecosystem can create opportunities beyond professional racing.

A young person who enters cycling may eventually become:

an athlete,

coach,

guide,

trail builder,

race official,

bike mechanic,

photographer,

content creator,

event manager,

outdoor educator,

or adventure entrepreneur.

This connects directly with Vijay Pratap Singh's stated objective of creating more employment opportunities in mountain regions and encouraging youth toward self-employment.

In this sense, mountain biking can become part of a broader Himalayan outdoor economy.

THE SAFETY MESSAGE

One of AdvenThrill's most consistent contributions has been its emphasis on responsible participation.

The early Tour de Chamasari communication explicitly promoted:

“No Helmet, No Ride.”

The Foothills events continued to place importance on organised routes, race officials, volunteers, hydration and support systems. (News Post)

The 2026 Foothills organisation also involved dedicated route and traffic-management personnel and emergency medical standby. (LinkedIn)

This is essential.

If Uttarakhand is to develop into a major MTB destination, the culture cannot be based only on speed and adrenaline.

It must be built on:

Skill + Safety + Responsibility + Respect for the Trail.

THE HUMAN SIDE OF FOOTHILLS

Perhaps the most beautiful part of the Foothills story is that the event has never been only about podiums.

It began as a tribute to a young cyclist, Tanishk.

His father stood at the starting line and flagged off the inaugural race.

Riders from different states travelled to Dehradun.

Women and young cyclists stood on the same start line.

Experienced athletes raced alongside emerging riders.

Volunteers built trails and managed routes.

Photographers documented the competition.

Local organisations supported the event.

Tourism officials became involved.

And year after year, riders returned.

That is how a sporting culture develops.

VIJAY PRATAP SINGH'S CONTRIBUTION TO MTB IN UTTARAKHAND

When the complete journey is considered, Vijay's contribution can be viewed across several dimensions.

AS A CYCLIST

His own Dehradun–Spiti and Dehradun–Kanyakumari expeditions gave him first-hand experience of long-distance cycling and endurance. (Adventhrill)

AS A VISIONARY

He saw outdoor adventure as a tool for growth rather than merely recreation. (Adventhrill)

AS AN ORGANISER

He created recurring cycling events rather than one-off rides.

AS A PLATFORM BUILDER

He brought cyclists from across India to Uttarakhand.

AS A YOUTH ENABLER

He created junior categories and opportunities for young riders.

AS A SAFETY ADVOCATE

He consistently promoted responsible cycling and safety.

AS A CONNECTOR

He brought experienced riders into the same competitive environment as emerging cyclists.

AS AN ADVENTURE PROMOTER

He connected cycling with wider Himalayan experiences such as the Spiti Cycling Tour.

AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

He connected sport with outdoor employment, entrepreneurship and tourism.

This combination is what makes the contribution significant.

THE REAL LEGACY OF FOOTHILLS

The success of a race should not only be measured by how many people participate.

A more important question is:

What happens to the riders after they leave the start line?

A 14-year-old rider may eventually become a national champion.

An amateur may discover a career.

A local cyclist may become a guide.

A volunteer may become a professional race organiser.

A rider from another state may discover Uttarakhand's mountains.

An elite athlete may inspire 20 younger cyclists.

And occasionally, a junior rider may eventually wear India's colours.

That is the deeper significance of the Foothills MTB Challenge.

FROM THE FOOTHILLS TO TEAM INDIA

The journey of Tsewang Norbo/Norboo provides one of the clearest examples.

In 2022, he was an Under-18 winner at the Foothills MTB Challenge.

In 2026, he was competing for India at the Asian Mountain Bike Championships in Uzbekistan and was part of India's bronze-medal Mixed Elite Relay team. (Cycling Monks)

Similarly, Ashish Sherpa won the elite Foothills race in 2022 and later became part of India's international MTB representation, including the 2026 Asian Championship bronze-medal relay team. (Cycling Monks)

And David Kumar, who finished third at Foothills 2022, brought to Dehradun the experience of an Indian rider who had already competed internationally and performed strongly against international fields. (davidkumar.in)

Together, these three stories illustrate three different stages of an athlete-development ecosystem:

The emerging junior — Tsewang.

The elite competitor — Ashish.

The internationally experienced racer — David.

And all three appeared within the same Foothills racing environment

A DECADE OF BUILDING, NOT JUST RACING

AdvenThrill's journey demonstrates that the development of mountain biking does not happen overnight.

It requires years of:

events, athletes, organisers, volunteers, trail builders, media, safety systems, youth participation, institutional support, and continuity.

From Tour de Chamasari to Foothills 2021.

From Foothills 2021 to the larger two-day 2022 race.

From the 2022 race to the third edition in 2025.

From 2025 to Foothills 4.0 in 2026.

The journey has been incremental.

But it has been consistent.

CONCLUSION

ADVENTHRILL'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOUNTAIN BIKING IN UTTARAKHAND IS, ABOVE ALL, A STORY OF PLATFORM CREATION.

The mountains of Uttarakhand were always there.

The talent was always there.

The young people were always there.

What was missing was often the opportunity to bring these elements together.

AdvenThrill, under the leadership of Vijay Pratap Singh, has spent years attempting to build that bridge.

It began with local MTB races such as Tour de Chamasari.

It continued during the difficult COVID period, when AdvenThrill used online cycling and fitness competitions to keep people engaged in sport, reaching approximately 1,000 participants across India.

It evolved into the Foothills MTB Challenge in 2021, when 60 riders gathered in Dehradun, including participants from different parts of India and one rider from the USA. (Cycling Monks)

In 2022, it became a 70-rider, two-day stage race with participants from across India, serious prize money, elite competition, women's and junior categories and a digital campaign that reached approximately 35,800 people. (Garhwal Post)

In 2025, the third edition moved further into technical cross-country MTB racing, with Open, Junior and Masters categories. (Cycling Monks)

And in 2026, Foothills MTB Challenge 4.0 demonstrated that the event had developed into a continuing sporting institution with a larger race-management and safety ecosystem. (LinkedIn)

But the strongest evidence of impact is found in the riders.

Ashish Sherpa, a Foothills elite champion, went on to represent India internationally.

Tsewang Norbo/Norboo, a Foothills Under-18 winner, progressed into India's international MTB team and was part of the 2026 Asian Championship bronze-medal Mixed Elite Relay team. (Cycling Monks)

David Kumar, an internationally experienced Indian mountain biker, brought the experience of international racing to the Foothills start line and competed against the next generation in Uttarakhand. (davidkumar.in)

These achievements cannot be attributed to one race or one organisation alone. Every athlete's journey is built through years of personal effort, family support, coaching, training, competition and sacrifice.

But AdvenThrill created something essential:

An opportunity.

An opportunity for a young cyclist to enter a real race.

An opportunity to compete against stronger riders.

An opportunity to meet experienced athletes.

An opportunity to discover what the body and mind can achieve.

An opportunity to see the Himalayas not only as a landscape, but as a sporting arena.

And, ultimately, an opportunity to dream beyond the foothills.

Because the true measure of a grassroots sporting platform is not simply the number of trophies it awards.

It is the number of dreams it helps make possible.

From Dehradun's roads and trails…

to the Himalayan foothills…

from the Foothills start line…

to national competition…

and eventually to the colours of Team India.

That is the journey AdvenThrill has helped make possible for a new generation of mountain bikers in Uttarakhand.

And the fourth edition of Foothills MTB Challenge in 2026 is not the end of that journey.

It is another start line.

KEY MILESTONES OF THE JOURNEY

REFERENCE SOURCES:

• CyclingMonks — Foothills MTB Challenge 2021 Race Report — first major edition, 60 riders, USA participation, women/junior/masters participation and race organisation. (Cycling Monks)

• CyclingMonks — Foothills MTB Challenge 2022 Race Report — 2022 race format, riders, results, Tsewang Norbo, Ashish Sherpa and David Kumar. (Cycling Monks)

• Garhwal Post — AdvenThrill & UTDB Hold Foothills MTB Challenge — contemporary newspaper coverage, participation, prize money, officials and Vijay's Spiti cycling-tour initiative. (Garhwal Post)

• CyclingMonks — Foothills MTB Challenge 2025 — third edition, routes, categories and results. (Cycling Monks)

• CyclingMonks — Amateur Bicycle Races in India — independent recognition of AdvenThrill's role in Dehradun MTB racing. (Cycling Monks)

• AdvenThrill — Vijay Pratap Singh: The Visionary Behind AdvenThrill — Vijay's cycling, mountaineering, youth and adventure background. (Adventhrill)

• AdvenThrill — About — organisational mission and Vijay's role. (Adventhrill)

• CyclingMonks — 2026 Asian Mountain Bike Championships Results — Team India, Ashish Sherpa, Tsewang Norboo and India's Mixed Relay bronze. (Cycling Monks)

• David Kumar — Professional Indian Mountain Biker — David's international MTB experience. (davidkumar.in)

• Steadfast Nutrition — Ashish Sherpa Athlete Profile — Ashish's racing and international achievements. (Steadfast Nutrition)

• Steadfast Nutrition — David Kumar Athlete Profile — David's MTB Himalaya and national/international racing record. (Steadfast Nutrition)

• AdvenThrill/CyclingMonks 2022 Post-Event Report supplied with this article — event scale and digital campaign results.

• AdvenThrill COVID-era newspaper report supplied with this article — approximately 1,000 participants and the organisation's youth/self-employment objectives.

Note on terminology: David Kumar is described here as an internationally experienced Indian MTB rider, rather than an international/foreign rider, because the available sources establish that he is Indian but has competed extensively in international races. Similarly, the sources spell Tsewang's name both as “Tsewang Norbo” in the 2022 Foothills report and “Tsewang Norboo” in later 2026 Asian Championship coverage; the article preserves both forms to reflect the source record.