In a bid to promote adventure sports tourism in the country, Nepal Mountain Bike Tours Pvt Ltd and Nepal Cycling Club are jointly organizing Nepal Mountain Bike Race 2006 on November 18.

A press statement issued by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said, despite immense potentiality of adventure sports tourism, this aspect of sports tourism has not been explored and exploited well by the concerned authority and private sector, so the race is a bid to breeze the gap.

“The main objectives behind organising Nepal Mountain Bike Race 2006 are to publicize Nepal as an adventure sports destination and to create awareness among Nepalese youths and attract them toward adventure sports,” the statement added.

Stating that around 27 percent of American travellers are adventure sports lovers, the NTB statement further said, “If we could attract even a small percentage of it, Nepal would be flooded with adventure sports tourists. It will not only boost the tourism of Nepal but also promote Nepal as a destination of adventure sports helping Nepalese athletes and bikers to be of international standard.”

The categories for this race are Men’s Elite, Junior Boys, Ladies’ Open, Men’s Masters, School Race, Corporate Race, Media Race, and Weekend Warriors.

There will be cash prize, gift hampers, trophy and certificate for the winners. The race will start from Goldhunga and end at Tokha, covering 27 kilometers.

According to organizers, this is the only mountain bike race that has taken place in this year in the international standard.