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Santosh Shanbhag completes Super series with Audax India Randonneurs

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Completed Super series with Audax India Randonneurs (AIR) in two months when stipulated time for completion is one year

The event is part of France organisation where in you complete a series of brevet and at the end you earn a title of Super Randonneur, the medals for which come directly from France.

 

4TH DEC 2016: 300KMS BRM (PANJIM-ZARAP-PANJIM-NAVELIM VIA MADGAON- PANJIM)

24TH & 25TH DEC 2016: 600KMS BRM (PUNE-SANKESHWAR-PUNE)

21ST JAN & 22ND JAN 2017: 400KMS BRM (MARGAO-KARWAR-BALI-TAMBDI-BANDHA-ZARAP-PANJIM-MARGAO)

5TH FEB 2017: 200KMS BRM 10:05 HRS (PUNE-KIKVI-PUNE-LONAVALA-PUNE)

Santosh Shanbhag, a hotelier by profession now has completed a herculean task of super series with Audax India Randonneurs (AIR). AIR (Audax India Randonneurs) is in affiliation with Audax Club Parisien Randonneur,France.

 

santosh shanbag Audax India Randonneurs belagaviSpeaking to AAB, Santosh said

I started cycling about 12 yrs ago but it wasnt until 4-5yrs back that I did my first 100kms ride in a day.

Infact I started cycling because I had met with an accident over my motorbike and it was a part of my physiotherapy to rectify my ACL tear.
Over a period of time my necessity became a passion and it wasnt until one fine day that I noticed an advertisement in Times of India about an expedition from Manali to Leh.

He was chosen amognst the 15 riders from all over India for the TOI expedition. There were multiple rounds in which they checked your past fitness and some technical things to do with bike handling and repairs.

Mr. Rajesh Kalra (whom Santosh considers as his mentor) selected him for the Himalayan expedition. The expedition was a fantastic experience. Besides at the end of expedition he was so confident about himself that he went on to do Khardungla alone self supported.

There after it has been a totally different life. He took break from his work and participated in competitive events since he couldn’t afford to take long breaks for expeditions.

He did Mountain Biking event in Shimla, half and full marathons, open water triathlons, half ironman in Hyderabad and recently completed the super series in cycling organised annually by AIR.

Brevets are long distance rides with checkpoints. There is a closing time monitored for each event. You take care of everything that comes your way from food to water or even punctures. The minimum distance is 200kms to be completed in 13.5hrs.

A rider who completes 200kms (in 13.5hrs) 300kms (in 20hrs) 400kms (in 27hrs) and 600kms (in 40hrs) in a calendar year is called a Super Randonneur. Each event is non stop timed.

Brevets is not just about men and women with strong legs and mind. Its about being smart and strategic too. U need to plan your day. The food, the sleep (you are totally deprived of in 400 and 600kms) the distance per hour, the need your fellow rider might come across; and also considering all those unwelcome situations you may come across like wrong turns and punctures. It teaches you a lot of things in real life which you can co-relate and learn. 

Cycling is a passion for me and breaks me my mind from monotonous thinking at work. We have a group called Pedalyatri where we often go on rides together on distance between 40-100kms. Anyone is welcome to join us.

Santosh is the owner of Hotel Anupam and also runs a coffee shop Hand to Mouth in Belagavi.

 

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