BERHAMPUR: The 30th National Road Cycling Championship concluded in Sambalpur on Saturday, marking the end of a five-day event that brought together the country’s top cyclists.
The championship saw participation from over 950 cyclists and 122 officials from across the country, transforming Sambalpur into a vibrant sporting arena.
Cyclist and Arjuna awardee Minati Mohapatra, Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra, IG (northern range) Himanshu Lal, Sambalpur collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar, Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo, SMC Commissioner Rehan Khetri, and Cycling Federation of India secretary Maninder Pal Singh attended the closing ceremony.
Rajasthan emerged as the overall winner with 21 medals, followed by Maharashtra with 12 and Haryana with 11. Karnataka secured nine medals, Tamil Nadu seven, and the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) five. Delhi and Odisha bagged three medals each, while Manipur earned two and Punjab one.
Rajasthan’s consistent performance in the junior and sub-junior categories helped them clinch the Overall Championship Trophy, with Haryana finishing as runners-up.
Exceptional individual performances included Vishavjeet Singh of RSPB, awarded Best Men Rider for winning two gold medals, and Anjali Jakhar of Rajasthan, named Best Women Rider with three gold medals. Gujarat received the Best Fair Play Award for exemplary sportsmanship.