Journalism of Courage
India’s first-ever continental multi-stage road race, the Pune Grand Tour 2026, got underway on Monday afternoon with an action-packed Prologue stage from Goodluck Chowk near Deccan Gymkhana
The opening ride set the pace for the five-day event and offered the first glimpse of international and Indian riders competing on the same platform
Australian rider Fergus Browning won the Prologue and claimed the first Yellow Jersey of the Pune Grand Tour 2026, a UCI 2.2 category event
Among Indian cyclists, Asian Championship medallist Harshveer Singh impressed with his speed and composure, emerging as the leading Indian rider and giving a solid start to the India Challenge contingent
The stage 1 of the Pune Grand Tour 2026 was flagged off from Hinjewadi today as 164 riders began the opening road stage of India’s first UCI-recognised continental multi-stage cycling race.
The 87.2-kilometre opening stage, titled Mulshi–Maval Miles, started from TCS Phase 3 in Hinjewadi and was scheduled to finish at Akurdi in Pune
Cyclists navigated a mixed course featuring urban stretches and rural terrain across Pune district during the opening stage of the race
The Stage 1 route tested riders with a combination of city sections and climbing segments, offering an early challenge in the multi-stage competition
It officially started at 1:30 pm on Tuesday afternoon and concluded around 3:41 pm, with an awarding ceremony beginning at 4 pm after riders completed the Mulshi–Maval–PCMC course.
Spectators along the Stage 1 route gathered at points such as Sri Bapuji Bua Mandir in Maan, Paud, Kolvan and Hadashi Lake as riders passed through multiple localities between the start at Hinjewadi and the finish at Akurdi
