Thousands participate in Nepal's largest annual cycling event, "The Kora Challenge"

Flagged off from Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Lalitpur district, about five thousand cyclists paddled off to cover the distance of about 200,000 kilometers.

Raj Gyawali, the organiser of the event, said that the motive behind organising this cycling event is "community building" and creating balance in the cycling ecosystem by bringing them all in a common platform.

"Cycling along with the athletes was impossible but organising this event would bring them here and others would get a chance to cycle along with them. Also, we can exchange our learnings and practice; it's a means of entertainment as well. In addition, it is a challenge for own self, participants can select the competition distance and this would also build a relation with others who are running along in the same category," Gyawali told ANI.

Started in 2011 with just 35 riders, the Kathmandu ride has always started and ended in Old Patan and makes a clockwise circuit of Kathmandu in 50 km, 75 km, 100 km, and a newly introduced Ultra distance of 140 km.

Every year, the event is organised on the third Saturday of July.

The shortest of the three rides is designed for amateurs but offers challenges, including brisk climbs and narrow alleys. The Good to Expert 75km circuit involved more adventurous cycling, with steeper climbs and mountains en route to Boudhanath and Chobhar.

The most challenging Expert to Pro 100-km circuit occupied an entire day of cycling along hills on the Valley rim.

This year, Lalitpur Metropolitan City has teamed up with Kora 2024 to co-host the cycling festival and make the Kathmandu edition an event of the city.

The annual cycling event has increased over the years, with an increase in the participation of women. According to the organisers, the participation of women in Kora has jumped from 11 percent to 22 percent in the last year. (ANI)