She’s won some of the biggest cycling tournaments in Nepal and abroad and is a full-time racer. However, cycling is not just a sport for Steadfast Athlete and Nepalese cyclist Usha Khanal- it’s a lifelong dream. Mountain biking for her is not just a task- Usha says the best part about the sport is it helps her to go to places and meet and get to know many people. It’s been the best means for her to be independent.
Usha has won several national and international championships, including golds in the Nepal National Games 2022 (Mass start and Individual time trial cycling), silver in the same event in downhill and cross country race, silver in the South Asian Games 2019 (Mountain bike, XC, Elite (F) held in Kathmandu, and silver in cross country race, South Asian Games 2019. Her cross country time at South Asian Games was 1:35:52 hours.
“Cycling for me started as a hobby. I was attracted by the way of life, and how free it looked. But I was inspired to take it to the professional level, as I had a friend who was also a professional cyclist,” says Usha.
Usha was a teacher before she started mountain biking as a fun sport. She featured in the documentary film Moksha as one of three women who have dedicated themselves to spreading the joy of mountain biking among women across the Himalayas. It was only after this that her hobby became a lifelong dream.
Usha, a prominent XCO and XCM cyclist, has been coached by Ajay Pandit Chhetri, a hero figure among Nepal’s mountain biking fraternity.
Usha is proud to be a part of the Steadfast family since 2019 and says she can achieve any feat with Steadfast Nutrition’s supplements by her side. Her favourite supplements are the energy and hydration drink Snergy and the protein supplement for muscle recovery Herbfast.
“I shake and tend to conquer the world with Steadfast in my hand.” The products that stay by her side always are Snergy and HerbFast. She stated, “Snergy has always been my favourite product. I’ve always had problem with hydration, but trying Snergy changed the whole game. The taste and the energy through my workout and rides alway stays high. HerbFast is my favourite recovery drink because it makes recovery easy and has a rich flavour”.
Usha shares that people are not well aware about mountain biking as a sport and that cycling can be expensive. She thought cycling was affordable, but having gotten into the field, realised that bicycles can be more expensive than motorcycles or as expensive as cars.
Talking about how life changed after the COVID-19 pandemic, Usha shared that the covid waves brought financial restrictions. However, she adds that situation in and outside Kathmandu is improving for cyclists. One can find good trails for mountain bikers.
Usha’s favourite trail is the descent from Thorong La Pass and Lubra Valley in the Mustang region. As a guide, she prefers the Annapurna Circuit since it has the best view and nice local people.
She looks up to the young and decorated Swiss cyclist Jolanda Neff.
Besides biking, Usha is an outdoor person and loves to run and trek. She also likes to read at leisure. The quote Usha lives by is: Every pain is worth suffering for that one priceless success, that one happy day, that one priceless moment.
