Mangaluru: On February 28, the coastal city of saw an unprecedented cycling event MACC Karavali 200 km BREVET organized by Mangalore Cycling Club (MACC) under the banner of Audax India Randonneur and Audax Club Parisian (ACP), in which 31 cyclists bracing against the heat and humid conditions, pedaled the total BREVET distance of 200.5 km from Mangaluru to Koteshwara and returned with a big smile on their face and a tag 'I'm a Randonneur'.

The first BREVET event of the season was flagged off by the city's divisional Superintendent of Police, Dr S D Sharanappa, who arrived at the venue as early as 5.15 am. With his encouraging words, the first lot of 21 riders left the starting point 5.30 am and the remaining 10, 15 minutes later. This round was flagged off by our own veteran and ardent cyclist Ashoka Vardhana. The Superintendent of Police, Udupi Division Annamalai rode his bicycle all the way from Udupi to Koteshwara just to receive the riders and spend time with each of them. The police on the crucial road intersections and junctions along the entire route ensured the safe passage for the riders. Mesmerized with the view of 31 riders moving in a disciplined way, bystanders, fishermen, kids and the entire community forgot their Sunday routine, and lined up to cheer each rider. The boatsmen were courteous enough to ferry the riders and their bikes across a small section in the Padukere-Malpe stretch, in quick turnaround time.

This event was unique in many ways, as most of the riders took part at the Karavali BREVET for the first time. The 200 km route planned by MAAC took the riders through the rolling terrain of Mangaluru, the beautifully laid fresh tarmac on NH 66, the calm, refreshing, clean and no traffic zone roads along the Arabian coast, the boat ride, winding interior roads covered with coconut trees etc. Apart from the mesmerizing coastal route, the participants also enjoyed the sumptuous food along the route but not to forget, it was also a day of hardship for majority of the riders, who developed crams, muscle pull, minor falls, multiple tube punctures etc. In the end it was the support, the encouragement and the motivation that made each and every rider finish in style. The senior riders in the group ensured that no one was left behind and pushed every rider beyond their limits to cross the finish line. The volunteers at the starting point, check points, turning point and finish point ensured that the BREVET rules were implemented threadbare, and at the same time each rider was comfortable all along until everyone finished the ride.

In the end it was 31/31, as every rider finished BREVET within the cutoff time of 13.5 hrs. The first ones to cross the finish line were Ashwin D’Silva and Krishna Kumar and the last one was H K Maheshwari for whom it was just on the nick of time. It is commendable that two lady cyclists Nithya Bhat and Parul Javiya, bracing against all odds finished the BREVET well ahead of many boys.

The MACC Karavali 200 km BREVET organized by MACC, goes down in the history of cycling in the city as the first BREVET here with 100% success.

Team MACC would like to convey its sincere gratitude to AIR and ACP for bringing in such an event of international recognition to Mangaluru, the Superintendent of Police, Mangaluru and Udupi divisions for encouraging us and being part of us, all the citizens for supporting us, all the volunteers for their relentless backup and finally all riders, for their participation, their relentless efforts in spreading the awareness of cycling.

It is you 'the Randonneur' who has made this MACC Karavali 200 km BREVET a grand success. Hope to see you all in other editions of BREVETs that will unfold later this year.