Pune, 9 July 2025: In a significant push to promote tourism and elevate the region’s sporting profile, the Pune district administration has announced plans to organize the ‘Pune Grand Challenge Tour’, a prestigious international cycling competition scheduled for January. The event is set to cover a distance of approximately 689 kilometers across the district, including Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and nine talukas, with participants expected from across the world.
Ahead of the event, a 15-member delegation from the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI), the global apex body for cycling, will inspect the proposed route on July 10. This inspection is part of a broader initiative to design and implement a comprehensive tourism blueprint for Pune district, which the district administration is currently developing under the guidance of Collector Jitendra Dudi.
The cycling tour will be conducted in four stages, as per a formal agreement between the District Collector’s office and the Cycling Federation of India (CFI). The administration believes this international-level event will place Pune on the global map as a key destination for both tourism and cycling sports.
Pune already has a strong cycling community, with around 50,000 active cyclists and 10,000 of them regularly participating in competitions at national and international levels.
The race will start from Balewadi and traverse diverse parts of the district. The administration aims to transform the entire 700-kilometer route into a ‘Zero Waste Corridor’ with high-quality road infrastructure and environmental responsibility.
Municipal agencies including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations and the PMRDA have been instructed to complete necessary development works within two months after the monsoon. The event will be broadcast live in India and select countries, enhancing its global visibility.
The event has received official approval from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar. Its funding will be managed through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions. The Pune Grand Challenge Tour is expected to become an annual affair, bringing long-term economic benefits to tourism, infrastructure, and local businesses across the district.
