The Hyderabad cyclothon will return on November 15 with around 2,100 registrations, traffic restrictions and a ₹33.6 lakh prize purse, as women riders account for 15 per cent of entrants and organisers seek to expand competitive cycling in the city.
The event will begin at Prime Arena in Osman Nagar, with routes closed to traffic between 5 am and 10 am. The programme will include professional and amateur races, along with a non-competitive Green Ride for participants who want to cycle without competing.
Hyderabad Cycling Revolution co-founder Ravi Netha Sambari said registrations had increased from about 2,000 last year to approximately 2,100 this year. He said large corporate-backed events gave ordinary cyclists an opportunity to experience competitive racing, improving the visibility of the sport and encouraging regular participation.
The Cycling Federation of India is handling race arrangements. The Telangana government, Cyberabad Police and civic bodies are assisting with the event, including the planned temporary traffic restrictions around the routes.
The event’s participants include riders who have moved from recreational cycling to longer-distance competition. Radha Valasareddy, an HR professional, began cycling at the age of 47 with seven-kilometre group rides and later progressed to 50-kilometre and 100-kilometre distances. She finished second in her age category at the inaugural Hyderabad edition.
Valasareddy said cycling had initially been a fitness activity for her, but race participation brought structured training, performance targets and improved timings. She now balances cycling with her job and family responsibilities and hopes more women will take up the activity.
Allu Kumari, a 26-year-old Hyderabad Police officer, began cycling four years ago and has secured two podium finishes at the cyclothon. She also represented Telangana at the Police Nationals in Punjab this year, where she was the only woman from the state police department to participate.
Kumari is seeking another podium finish at the Hyderabad event, while Valasareddy said her immediate aim is to participate and complete the race. The scheduled road closures will remain in place from 5 am to 10 am on November 15, according to the event details provided by the organisers.
