AKASH SHERPA FINISHES RUNNER UP AT 2021 MTB SHIMLA RACE

AKASH SHERPA FINISHES RUNNER UP AT 2021 MTB SHIMLA RACE

Oct 18, 2021

Steadfast athletes put up a spectacular performance at the prestigious MTB Shimla 2021 race, outshining over 100 top cyclists from across the country. The ninth edition of the hotly-anticipated event was sponsored by Steadfast Nutrition, HASTPA, and Hero Cycles. Ace Steadfast Athlete Akash Sherpa made the company proud by finishing second in the Men’s Solo category. Steadfast Athlete Prateek Thakur secured the second position in the Team of Two category, while Tarash Tejwani and Akshit Gaur were finishers.

The MTB Shimla challenge, which takes place in  the most pristine parts of the Shivalik Mountains, is like a festival for the country’s cycling community. Athletes from various states prep for a whole year to  make it to the event, but only a few  champions qualify.

Akash Sherpa, among Steadfast’s top athletes, has been on a roll. People were anticipating him to come out on top of this year’s race after he secured the first position in the selection round. Akash did not let them down. He wisely started the journey at a slow pace  to preserve energy for the two-day race. Several sachets of  Steadfast Snergy,  a supplement  specially designed to provide instant energy, held him in good stead. 

The gruelling race took place in two stages. The first and most difficult stage, Cedar Wreath, saw the riders traversing a distance of 60 km and a maximum elevation of over 2300 meters. The cyclists were struggling to breathe, and some even considered quitting, but Akash steadily moved forward with a single goal in mind: to win the event. The Steadfast athlete chose to speed up at  the off-road section and maintained a moderate pace while climbing. This unique balance helped him stay energetic till the end of the first phase. In stark contrast to Stage one, Akash led the ride from the front in the second. This section was a rollercoaster ride, with tarmac, meadows, jeep tracks, and loose gravel. Akash maintained the first position for at least 30 km of the 45-km distance, which is a remarkable achievement in itself. It was only during the final minutes that he slowed down a little, and was outpaced  by Rakesh Rana. 

At the presentation ceremony, the General Secretary of the Himachal Olympic Committee, Mr Rajesh Bhandari, presented Akash with a cash prize of Rs 25,000 along with various other gifts. During his winning speech, Akash was all praises  for Steadfast Nutrition's role in his journey.

Congratulations, Akash. Steadfast is immensely proud of you.