Minister pedals to flag off cycling expedition in Mysuru

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda pedals to flag off Tour of Nilgiris, a cycling expedition, in Mysuru on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Days after inaugurating an inter-apartment athletic competition in Bengaluru by swimming in a newly-built pool, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Sunday flagged off an eight-day-long cycling expedition – Tour of Nilgiris – in Mysuru by pedalling alongside the cyclists for a few kilometres on Sunday.

The 51-year-old Revenue Minister was astride a bicycle, wearing a protective helmet, at the entrance of a hotel Rio Meridian on Sayyaji Rao Road in Mysuru, which was the starting point of the 800-km-long cycling expedition.

Mr. Gowda, cycled alongside the eighty other participants for a few kilometres in the city before returning.

Mr. Gowda’s tryst with cycling comes about eight days after he swam in a newly built swimming pool in an indoor stadium in Byatarayanapura in Bengaluru during the inauguration of an inter-apartment athletic competition on November 30.

Before flagging off the cycle expedition in Mysuru on Sunday, Mr. Gowda said he cycled regularly in Bengaluru earlier, but was not able to pursue his passion in view of the work nowadays. He hoped to resume cycling when time permits him again, he said.

He said he was happy to flag of the cycle expedition, Tour of Nilgiris, as cycling not only complemented healthy living, but the expedition will help showcase the natural beauty of hilly regions of Karnataka in Kodagu among other areas.

The 15th edition of Tour of Nilgiris is a cycle expedition that takes participants through a gruelling 800 kms of ride for eight days passing through Kodagu,Wayanad, and Ooty before concluding in Coimbatore.

The expedition has draws participants from not only Mysuru and other parts of Karnataka, but also from other parts of India and the world.

The Tour of Nilgiris is an annual cycling expedition that takes participants through the picturesque and hilly regions of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.