As the team convoys exited Nanded City, Pune, at the end of Stage 2 of the Pune Grand Tour, the cyclists waved from their vehicles at the crowd of locals gathered along the route. Such crowds, constant at the start and end points of the race on the first three days and even at many rural locations, delighted the international cyclists taking part in the race. The riders obliged to a constant demand for selfies, with some even having to be escorted out of crowds by bouncers.
Estonian cyclist Kannimäe Taav of the Quick Pro Team said, “I haven’t seen so many people beside the road, ever.” He has been to a few world championships and events in countries like Switzerland, Belgium, and Poland, but the crowd in India was unique.
Kannimäe Taav of Quick Pro Team. (Express Photo by Soham Shah)
“The first and the last 10 kilometres here were madness. My eardrums hurt a little bit, but it should be like that. When I first came to India, you know there are a thousand times less people in Estonia, so I was a little bit afraid. Pune city itself has many times more people than Estonia combined. So I was wondering how it is possible to avoid people? But it was, you proved it,” he added..
Patrice Robustelli, Sports Director of Thailand-based Grant Thornton Cycling Team, said that the crowd was similar to what is seen in Rwanda, a country where the sport of cycling is big.
He said, “If there is a crowd like this in the first edition, when people become more aware in Pune and in India, (it can be like Rwanda). It is wonderful to race here. Just like when you play cricket, it is more exciting for the players to race. And not just in the last few kilometres, but from every village people were coming out to cheer the cyclists.”
Indian food a big hit
The crowd was not the only thing that fascinated the international teams. Taav exclaimed, “All the spices! Our own food is not so tasty. When I go home I believe I should buy some spices from here.” Any Indian dish Taav picked at the hotel buffet had been turning out to be delicious and he especially loved naans, of which he consumed whole ‘piles’.
Stephan Van Der Swan, owner of Pro Cycling Stats team and the popular cycling stats website of the same name, had a similar experience with the food. “I love all the masalas. I would love to learn to cook it myself. We’re at the Hilton hotel and they make amazing food. Tikka masala is one of my favourites,” he said.
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Swan was also amazed at how enthusiastic the crowd was, considering the fact that cycling racing as a sport is not common in the country.
Carl Jolly of the Schils-Doltcini team said he really enjoys eating daal. “I absolutely love the daals and have them at Indian places in England as well. But obviously it’s not the same as here.”
Kurtas and sarees
Cyclists donned kurtas with coloured ethnic jackets at the opening ceremony of the Grand Tour on January 17. Taav said that even though he had received a smaller size, he loved how it looked and will proudly be carrying it back to Estonia and giving it a place in his wardrobe. Same was the case with Swan, who said he loved the colours of India.
Meanwhile Swan’s wife Marijke Alois Van Goethem, also a part of the team staff, purchased four sarees in Pune. “They showed me how to wear it but will need more help,” she laughs and admits.
Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting.
Professional Background
Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune.
Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics.
Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories:
1. Investigations & Governance
"Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents.
"44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families.
2. Education & Campus Life
Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
"Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial.
"Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers.
3. Human Rights & Social Issues
"Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India.
"'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying.
Signature Style
Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty.
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Kannimäe Taav of Quick Pro Team. (Express Photo by Soham Shah)
