PANAJI
Nearly 400 cyclists participated in Xaxti 100-2021 on Sunday, the signature 100-km cycle ride organised annually by cycling club Xaxti Riders.
The ride was flagged off by Dr Vishwajeet Faldesai, an accomplished cyclist and Medical Superintendent at the ESI Hospital, Margao, at 6.45 am from Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. Clad in specially-designed white jerseys, the cyclists sped through the lush green environs of South Goa’s hinterland, traversing the hilly and flat landscape around Caurem, Sulcorna, Curpem, Vichundrem, Zambaulim and Rivona.
Among the riders were doctors, lawyers, architects, business and IT professionals, students, teachers and others. A group of professional cyclists from Bengaluru were the special guest-participants.
The growing number of women taking to cycling was palpable, given the fact they accounted for one out of every eight registered riders. The eldest to participate was 75-year old Vijay Chowgule, and the youngest were Nischit Hegde and Jarden Barreto, both 15-year-old school children.
Under its Talent Search programme, the club presented a high-end Merida Road Bike to 17-year-old Vrushabh Shetkar of Quepem for his extraordinary talent in cycle racing.
Timed with the return of the riders, Dr Belinda Viegas-Mueller, Goa’s foremost cyclist, released the first-ever book written on Indian cycling history. Authored by the cycling couple, Anoop Babani and Savia Viegas, 'The Bicycle Diaries' chronicles the historic and incredible global journeys undertaken by twelve Indian cyclists a century ago.
Xaxti Riders crowd-funded the book by bulk-purchasing 500 copies pre-publication (half of the initial print order) which were presented to all the finishers of Xaxti 100-2021.
According to authors Babani and Viegas, this is the first time ever in the publishing industry of India that an academic and research-oriented book on Indian cycling history has been crowd-funded by the cycling community itself. “Both of us are mighty proud that this unique collaboration took place in Goa,” the authors said.
The Margao-based Xaxti Riders is also teaming up with Saxtti Films to organise the second edition of ReelsOnWheels, a film festival on the theme of cycling, later in 2021.
