Sikkim hosts international mountain biking event

Sikkim on Sunday hosted the opening leg of the 2026 Zabarvan Extreme Legends Series, an international downhill mountain biking competition featuring riders from eight countries, as the Himalayan state seeks to strengthen its position as an adventure tourism destination. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang flagged off the competition at Rock Garden in Soreng district's Zoom.Riders from India, Iran, Australia, Brazil, Italy, the Czech Republic, Taiwan and Nepal took part in the event.Tamang congratulated the orgsers and participating athletes, calling the event a historic milestone for the state and the Zoom-Salghari area, an official statement said.He said hosting an international sporting event reflected the area's potential to emerge as a recognised destination for adventure sports and tourism.The Zabarvan Extreme Legends Series promotes downhill mountain biking across different terrains in India. The 2025 edition covered Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya, while the 2026 series began in Sikkim, the statement said.Ladakh and Maharashtra are scheduled to host subsequent legs, it added.Among the prominent participants were Douglas Vieira, a five-time national champion and winner of the previous edition, Matej Charvat and Samuel Hills, an eight-time Mountain Bike World Champion.The chief minister also outlined plans to improve infrastructure and promote tourism in Zoom-Salghari, Jorethang and surrounding areas. The proposed initiatives include developing tourist facilities such as Peacock Park and widening and improving the Zoom road, the statement said.Tamang said better roads would make travel safer, smoother and more convenient for visitors.He expressed hope that the mountain biking competition would become an annual event and put Zoom-Salghari on the international adventure sports calendar.The event also featured cultural and musical performances, rock climbing activities, and stalls and exhibitions -help groups.Local products, cultural traditions and community-led enterprises were showcased alongside the competition.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited . It is published from a syndicated feed.)