Pune Grand Tour 2026: The Pune Grand Tour 2026 was officially declared open on Saturday, 17th January by the Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis. Pune’s streets and surrounding hills will be under the international sporting spotlight after the Pune Grand Tour 2026 was formally inaugurated on Saturday, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declaring the city ready to host India’s first UCI 2.2 category multi-stage Continental cycling road race.
The event, which brings riders from more than 35 countries to Pune, is being positioned by the state government as a major push for sports tourism and urban branding. In his address, Fadnavis said the race will showcase Pune as a modern metropolis that blends heritage with rapid growth, and urged residents to view the tour as more than a sporting spectacle. “Pune is not just the cultural capital of Maharashtra,” he said, “it is also the technical and manufacturing capital, and one of India’s fastest-growing cities.”
The inauguration was attended by key dignitaries, including Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, and State Minister for Urban Development and Transport Madhuri Misal, along with senior officials from the Pune district administration and state sports bodies.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described Pune as a city where “history meets the future.” “This is not merely an event for today - it is a pathway to a legacy envisioned 75 years ahead and beyond. Pune, a district where history meets the future, will now be recognised globally as a destination for world-class sport, tourism and culture,”
At the opening ceremony of the Pune Grand Tour, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed riders from over 35 countries, describing the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 as more than just a race. He said the event is a statement of Maharashtra’s ability to build world-class infrastructure and sporting facilities at an unusually fast pace, showcasing the state’s growing confidence on the global stage.
Praising the administration and organizers for the speed, he said, “The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour represents the future of Indian sport. What typically takes decades has been accomplished in months, with international-standard infrastructure created at a pace not seen in the last 30 years.”
Fadnavis said the race route will offer riders and viewers a glimpse of Pune’s scenic and historic landscape, passing through areas such as Purandar, Khadakwasla and the Western Ghats, and highlighting forts recently recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026, India’s first UCI 2.2 multi-stage continental cycling race, runs from January 19 to 23. The five-day, 437-km event features 171 elite riders from 29 teams across 35 countries, traversing the Deccan Plateau and Sahyadri ranges. Organised by the Pune district administration and the Maharashtra government under the Cycling Federation of India, the race highlights Pune’s heritage, historic landmarks and rural tourism across nine talukas and 150 villages.