Desai shocks field

June 30: Unfancied Prashant Desai emerged triumphant in the Mitsubishi Monsoon Scooter Rally. On an LML Vespa, the 27-year old from Borivil...

June 30: Unfancied Prashant Desai emerged triumphant in the Mitsubishi Monsoon Scooter Rally. On an LML Vespa, the 27-year old from Borivili upset all calculations, and in the process shocked a host of seasoned riders, to win this Sportscraft-organised run from Bhiwandi to Shahapur in 1 hour, 9.1 seconds yesterday. Manjit Singh Bassan, also on a LML Vespa, was second in 1.09.46 seconds, while Kholapur’s Sangram Patil, on a Kinetic Honda finished third in 1:12.12 seconds.

Strong favourite Zubin Patel, bidding for a fifth straight triumph , finished a poor fourth, erring in reading of the tulip chart.

Twenty-three riders took the start from Bhiwandi, following the Mumbai Traffic Police’s refusal for permission to start from the NSCI, and by the time the rally finished at Hotel Sawan in Shahapur, there were just 16 left on the road. Indeed, they were the tough ones who braved the heavy rains and the hazards of a dicey course to come through.

While all credit is due to Prashant for his steady riding, it must be said that had it not been for an error on the part of Zubin and others, he may not have finished on top of the heap. Like Zubin, there was his brother Rustom, his father Kersi, Ilyas Bham and a couple of other riders who did not bother to take the trouble of going through the tulip chart provided.

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