On 29th Nov 2025 I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a gravel race organised by BAF (Bhonsala Adventure Foundation) and Man did I had the time of my life (on the descents at least, on the ascents you start to question your life decisions, It’s a complete spiritual journey)
Let me tell you everything
PS: I’ve not received the photos from them yet, I’ll update here when I do, till then channel the imagination :)
Training and Preparation
For a little context, I’ve been cycling for quite a while now not professionally (I didn’t knew such thing even existed) but for commuting and touring purposes although I really got consumed recently when I got my first and brand new RC 120 hehe. Watching TDF and other WorldTour documentaries really got me hooked.
And If that wasn’t enough my phone pinged with a notification for BAF’s “Mountain Cycling” event, a 58k gravel race in the Trambakeshwar ghats, organised as one of the events in Bhonsala Adventure Sports Festival.
That’s it, that was all I needed, a spark to light the flame, I immediately signed up and being a Bhonsala alumni myself it was even so slightly special. I was very excited. I had a week under my belt so I began planning for the training, 2 days 25, 2 days 50, 2 days the actual track and 1 day rest, all good, happy world :)
Albeit tbh I missed a few of them due to the damm “SNOOZE” button.
During the training itself I came to know this wasn’t going to be easy, I’d done many long rides before, it’s very relaxed when you’re going your own pace enjoying the views but when you have a clock to chase that’s when you realise how much it takes. The track I was training on was ever so slightly elevated almost unnoticeable but it starts to compound over time and I could just only imagine if it was a ghat.
The Race Day
Anyways the big day eventually came, and night before, I’d borrowed my friend Ayush’s action cam, my plan was to either stream or record the entire race so I’ll be able to share the experience with everyone later and also that I could use some of the footage in a short documentary about Cycling I’m planning to make later.
So I had plugged everything on charge in the night phone, cam, powerbank, protein bars, etc and grabbed everything quickly in the morning while leaving for the event. The reporting time was 6:30AM so I left at 5:30.
While I was waiting for the bus, yes you could take your cycles in the bus as luggage (well at least in the morning hours when there’s no rush) we learned that earlier when me and Ayush previously went to train (we’ll not technically train but to tour and checkout as one of our cycles was a non-gear) on the actual event track, so yes where was I yes so while I was waiting for bus my phone rang it was my friend Atharva from whom I’d requested to borrow his bottle holder mount as we’d also learned earlier that one bottle wasn’t going to be enough.
He had just woke up but still within 10 mins he arrived at the stop and we got it mounted, we managed to dent the frame a little bit during the process, I felt sad but I immediately remembered my uncle’s quote from when we went on a coastal ride, btw I got some very cool shots there, find it here. he tore a hole in his helmet to fit his GoPro’s mic, I would’ve never done that, I tend to get very attached to things, heck I literally cried when my PC’s motherboard died. He said
the things are for us and we are not for things
remembering that helped reduce the pain a little bit.
Quickly enough another bus came and we parted our ways by saluting as the bus began moving, yes we don’t wave hands we salute that’s just us.
Anyways I reached Trambakeshwar right on time and the randevu point was just a km away from the stop but it felt like crossing the entire Arctic subcontinent due to the dawn cold. I reached the location, the staff and few of the participants were already there and others on their way. I immediately got humbled and discouraged after seeing the bikes, all carbon. There was no chance.
I got myself checked-in by submitting the medical report and “If you die it’s not on us” form. We were given a breakfast kit, jerseys and chest numbers. They didn’t had a small size jersey left so I had to settle for a M sized one, although they had asked for T-shirt sizes earlier but anyways I’ll let it slide.
I also reunited with some of the staff members after a very long time. We finished our breakfast and gathered for the inauguration speech and instructions, One thing I liked about BAF they repeatedly mentioned that
“please don’t look at any of the BAF events as competitive events, the main goal behind it is to promote adventure sports and community building, all the prizes and other secondary things are just to attract participation. Ride safe and have fun”
I’ve participated in many BAF activities during my time there and they run all their activities at a very subsidized cost. This event was BAF’s first ever cycling event in association with “Nashik Cyclists” and probably first of its kind in Nashik.
The Flag-Off
After the inauguration it was finally the time for flag-off, I begun setting up the runcam on my helmet for recording but I couldn’t quite get the cable to connect, after a little bit of gymnastics here and there I had to give up and take out the helmet for a closer look, and not to my surprise the dumb me had brought a wrong cable, remember when I said “I quickly grabbed everything”, yes I got a micro-usb instead of a type-c. I was too introvert to ask to borrow from someone so I dropped the plan and geared up for flag-off.
Everyone lined up, my heart started pumping faster with butterflies in my stomach as the countdown began.
10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1 and the flag raised with horns and claps.
I immediately began pedalling in the lead as per my strategy, there was no point in drafting for 50. Stay in the first peloton and attack when it counts, the golden rule. I kept in the lead for a while but soon enough a breakout of three riders caught up, my immediate reflex was keep drafting with this group and launch an attack in last few kilometers, but it’s not that easy as it sounds, I tried drafting behind them but couldn’t keep up and was dropped, I didn’t push rightway as I knew I’ll need energy reserve for later, soon enough another 3 rider group caught up and now I really started to get nervous, “how am I not able to keep up”, I wanted to blame my bike but deep down inside I knew it was me, I lacked proper training and these people who I was competing with were seasoned athletes, I drafted with them for a while but again got dropped on an ascent, that’s when I comforted my self with “Okay this is a little too ambitious, you don’t directly win your first race, what am I Remco?!”.
The First Descent
Finally the first descent came it was a big one and the most scenic of the entire track, it felt like you are in france or something, for a while I even forgot about the race, the scenes were just gorgeous it would count in the top three regrets of life to have brought the wrong cable.
I knew this was my chance, there were many up-hill ascents forward as I’d learned from my previous visit and if there was any chance I would get to attack it was this, else the gap would just increase, I locked in, shifted to the highest gear and man I was on another level.
Soon one after another I caught up and woosh…woosh…woosh… crossed all three riders before me, I was on fire. It increased my confidence and again made me delusional enough to actually think that I got this, you have to be delusional to actually achieve something, confidence is everything man. I had to win, my little sister had promised me a chocolate if I win and if you know, It’s not about the chocolate it was about rivalry.
After sometime I saw a rider near the support van, he had got his tyre punctured, I couldn’t assess the entire situation due to law of inertia but I thought he was out of the race or at least it would be too late till he gets it repaired or get a spare bike, with that I knew I just had 2 riders ahead of me now and I just have to keep this up.
Finally the descent came to an end and it was time for sweat again, I dropped the gears to a lower one and began pedalling with everything I had. It’s all fun on descents and flat terrains but you really start hating every aspect of it when you hit a climb, but I think that’s the beauty right, that’s what makes you appreciate the descents more and it was a good reminder of life’s just like that, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, okay now let’s not get too philosophical here.
This was the first time like after 20km or so I felt the need for hydration. There were checkpoints set up every 10km, they would announce your chest number and timing at each one and boy it really felt nice when they did, It makes you feel like you’re an actual deal. They also had water and energy drinks at each, I quickly grabbed one on the go and after the first gulp I immediately had an urge for another but you should not drink too much liquid while in action cause then other biological processes would get in action and you don’t have time for that and also GI issues, so at times I would just swish and spit out, this is a clever technique used by athletes called “carb-rinsing”.
Finally I was on the peak and it was time for another up-shift.
The Crash
I was half-way into the race when I encountered a technical turn, last time when we rode on this track we weren’t going full throttle so I couldn’t analyze it but this time due to the insane speed and small gravels on the roadside, I unfortunately couldn’t control, slipped and crashed, I was dragged for few meters and while I was falling I had a surge of thoughts in my mind:
THANK GOD THE CAM WASN’T MOUNTED!
see, jo hota hai acche ke liye hota hai
MY BIKE IS NOT ON AUTO HEAL LIKE ME THIS WOULD COST ME FORTUNE IF SOMETHING GETS DAMAGED!
WILL I BE OUT OF THE RACE?!!!
Finally, friction did its thing and (a) came to a zero, I was laying down there struggling to get up, somehow I managed to stand up on both my feet, I began to assess the situation, my left side of the body was completely scraped but more than that the bike had taken some as well and the chain had damaged, my biggest fear was will I be able to continue the race. I couldn’t see no one till far.
I drank some water from the bottle I was carrying and I just stood up there for a while. I was just remembering all the people who’ve helped, believed and wished me best, it would all be for nothing and also my mother won’t let me participate in any further events. The face of the two of my biggest idols snapped in front of me, Rock Lee and Naruto. I KNOW THEY ARE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS, SHUT UP!
I won’t lose if I don’t win the race, I’d lose if I quit. With that It took me a little while to fix the chain (I had a multitool with me) and I was right back in the game.
The Push to Finish
My priority shifted now it wasn’t about finishing first it was just finishing, I kept paddling no matter what, I was still in the lead as I didn’t see any one till it was last few 7-8 kilometres left, I saw a small kid probably 5-6 years old running with a glass of water ahead of me for like half a kilometre or so till with his friends/siblings surrounding a fellow soldier, he was sitting on the ground with his bike laid down, I noticed he was the guy from the first breakout of 3 earlier.
He was a real pro I could tell from his bike and attire, I asked him what happened, he was having some issues with his bike with the chain slipping off and thus wasn’t able to continue, I could tell he was tired too just like me and everyone else, I ensured he’s not injured and moved forward as he rested waiting for the support van.
After sometime, a blue jersey started becoming visible behind me, this was the first time I saw someone since I crossed those three riders. We both were moving relatively slow due to exhaustion and the ascent, man the ascents, this was when I remember I decided I’m never doing this again this is the first and the last, this thing is purely for masochists and psychopath people.
He eventually caught up and smiled at me and complimented me saying “you pulled strong”, later I learned he was THE “Dr. Mahendra Mahajan” of the Majan Brothers duo from Nashik who hold the record for being first Indians to finish RAAM (Race Across America) its the world’s toughest non-stop ~5000km ultra-endurance challenge, man learning that just made my day.
He slowly crossed me, I didn’t, we’ll didn’t is not the right word I actually couldn’t attack due to the lack of energy and I was already in so much pain. But man I got complimented from the best, I’d already won.
I continued paddling just waiting in the hopes to see a chequer soon, a support van arrived beside me and seeing my exhaustive state cheered me up by telling me “only a little bit to go”.
The Finish Line
AND FINALLY, finally I saw the crew at the horizon cheering me up as I moved closer to the finish line, pictures been taken and drone and all the glory stuff, I did the classic Thank You bow as I crossed the finish line and with that It was done, I cannot express the happiness in words when you finally finish something it was something out of the world.
The staff quickly noticed the injuries and I was immediately assisted by the medical team, I learned while they were dressing up my wounds that few had to call for ambulances. It’s a dangerous sport man, I was aided and asked to rest, now let’s come to the primary property of a competition.
The Results
Did I win?
When I reached the finish line In my mind I was in the 3rd place after Mahajan sir crossed me but I noticed some riders had already reached before me, how can that be possible I didn’t see anyone crossing me. That’s when I learned through my strava that I’d rode 70km meaning I missed a check point and rode an extra 12km on a different route :)
That’s why I didn’t see no one for so long.
There were many Y-splits and most of the times volunteers would be present to guide you but they weren’t at a few. I took the route from earlier when Ayush and I had gone there. We didn’t had a proper mapped track then but we knew the crossing points and the race had few differing routes,
I’m not complaining or justifying here, hey you see the title it says “Experience”. I didn’t say anything to anyone there either. I’m not a complain booth. Besides it was not a qualifier or staked one.
Also this was BAF’s first ever event about cycling so there were a few mismanagements which they confirmed will be taken as learnings and feedbacks to make the next one more successful.
So yes I came in 5th overall out of 53 riders and 4th in my age category 18-35, but hey, considering the riders I was competing against and the gears that they had I am actually proud of myself. So did I win the race? No, but I won my own by actually finishing and by standing up again and not giving up when I had crashed.
But you know what’s more crazy!, the guy who came in first, remember the rider who had got his tire punctured earlier? Turns out he dragged the entire race punctured and WON if just that wasn’t enough immediately left for his home town Mumbai as he had another race there the next day, hats off man, just respect. These are the type of people that inspire you to keep going no matter what.
Final Thoughts
As everyone arrived at the finish line and the race was finally concluded, we had to head at a different location for the closing ceremony and lunch. I tried standup and man, shockingly I couldn’t move and thats when it hit me, I couldn’t the entire time.
When you have a purpose nothing stopping you blud.
There were many lessons I learned from this experience but most importantly I had so much fun. Wayy too much fun.
Will I ever do it again? Yes, gladly, I guess I am a masochist and a psychopath after all :)
I really appreciate you taking the time to read this, feel free to shoot me at hi@shriram.dev if you have any feedbacks :)
Thanks. Byeeeeeee!