Tour of Nilgiris

{{Infobox cycling race

| name = Tour of Nilgiris

| current_event =

| image =

| image_caption =

| date = December

| region = South India

| english = Tour of Nilgiris

| localnames =

| nickname =

| discipline = Road Bike, MTB, Hybrid

| competition =

| type = Eight Day Cyclosportive

| organiser = Breakaway Sports

| Co-founder = Deepak Majipatil

| website = tourofnilgiris.com

| first = {{start date|2008}}

| number = 15 (as of 2024)

| final =

| firstwinner =

}}

The Tour of Nilgiris is a bicycle tour in India{{cite web |url=http://thealternative.in/environment/montra-tour-of-nilgiris-2013-the-mother-of-all-indian-cycling-tours/ |title=Montra Tour of Nilgiris 2013 – The mother of all Indian cycling tours |date=7 December 2013 |website=thealternative.in |publisher=The Alternative |accessdate=4 March 2014}} organised by Breakaway Sports.

The tour has been held every year since 2008. The aim of the tour is to promote cycling within the Nilgiris region passing through three Southern states of India Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and to revive the cycle culture by popularising cycle as a mode of transport for the twin benefits of easing traffic congestion and being environmental friendly.{{cite web|title=Tour of Nilgiris to pass through Mysore on Dec 16|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/373230/tour-nilgiris-pass-through-mysore.html|work=Deccan Herald|accessdate=6 December 2013}} The event caters for both Charity Riders, Recreational Riders and those looking to move into competitive professional cycling.

The Kalhatty challenge

The hardest part of the tour is the famous and gruelling Kalhatty climb. 12 km of climbing gradients and 36 hairpin bends to gain an altitude of 1,230 m. The average elevation gain is around 10 per cent with a few stretches going up to 15 per cent gradient.

Kalhatti is considered a Hors catégorie climb, which in cycling terms means "something that is beyond categorisation". It is perhaps one of the toughest climbs possible in the sub continent{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}.

Kalhatti route is inside a Reserve forest and this route is subjected to changes dependending on the various department permissions.

Participation

class="wikitable" style="width:45em;margin-bottom:0;" \|+ Tour snapshot
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Dates ! scope="col" \| Distance ! scope="col" \| Participation
scope="row" \| 2011{{Cite news \|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/Tour-of-Nilgiris-to-get-tougher-this-year/article20369929.ece \|title=Tour of Nilgiris to get tougher this year \|last=M. R \|first=Subramani \|date=December 12, 2011 \|work=The Hindu Businessline \|access-date=Sep 25, 2019}} \| Dec 9 - Dec 16 \| 860 km \| 70 Cyclists from 3 countries. 3 women riders. Cyclists from India, Italy and US.
scope="row" \| 2012{{Cite news \|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/298987/us-cyclist-wins-first-day.html \|title=US cyclist wins first day 'Tour of Nilgiris' \|date=Dec 16, 2012 \|work=The Deccan Herald \|access-date=Sep 24, 2019}} \| Dec 16 - Dec 23 \| 860 km \| 85 Cyclists. 8 women riders.
scope="row" \| 2015{{Cite news \|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/50363851.cms \|title=Tour of Nilgiris - cycling gaining fans especially in corporate world \|date=Dec 29, 2015 \|work=The Economic Times \|access-date=Sep 24, 2019}} \| Dec 16 - Dec 23 \| 876 km \| 109{{Cite news \|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/cycling/Indian-Terrain-Tour-of-Nilgiris-cycling-event-from-Wednesday/articleshow/50189246.cms \|title=Indian Terrain Tour of Nilgiris cycling event from Wednesday \|date=Dec 15, 2015 \|work=The Times of India \|access-date=Sep 25, 2019}} cyclists from 8 countries. India, China, Germany, Nepal, Netherlands, Singapore, UK, and the USA.
scope="row" \| 2017{{Cite news \|url=https://starofmysore.com/tour-nilgiris-tfn-jersey-unveiled/ \|title=Tour Of Nilgiris (TfN) Jersey Unveiled \|date=December 9, 2017 \|work=The Star of Mysore \|access-date=Sep 24, 2019}} \| Dec 10 - Dec 17 \| 1000 km \| 128 Cyclists from 8 countries. 18 international riders and 8 women riders. Cyclists were from India(110), Australia, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Russia and the USA.
scope="row" \| 2018{{Cite news \|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/annual-cycling-event-tour-of-nilgirisdraws-110-cyclists-from-across-globe/article25406401.ece \|title=Annual cycling event 'Tour of Nilgiris' draws 110 cyclists from across globe \|date=Nov 2, 2018 \|work=The Hindu Businessline \|access-date=Sep 24, 2019}} \| Dec 9 - Dec 16 \| 950 km \| 110 Cyclists from 13 countries. 29 international riders and 17 women riders. India (81), Denmark(7), USA(4), Australia(3), Germany(3), UK(3), Belgium(2), Canada(2), Austria(1), Greece(1), Malaysia(1), Philippines(1) and Poland(1).
scope="row" \| 2019 \| Dec 8 - Dec 15 \| 850+ km \| 56 Cyclists including 6 Women Riders and 5 International Riders
scope="row" \| 2022 \| Dec 11 - Dec 18 \| 850+ km \| 107 Cyclists including 14 Women Riders and 10 International Riders
scope="row" \| 2023 \| Dec 10 - Dec 17 \| 850+ km \| 100 Cyclists including 16 Women Riders and 6 International Riders
scope="row" \| 2024 \| Dec 08 - Dec 15 \| 800+ km \| 85 Cyclists including 18 Women Riders and 20 International Riders

class="wikitable" style="width:45em;margin-bottom:0;"

|+ Tour snapshot

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Dates

! scope="col" | Distance

! scope="col" | Participation

scope="row" | 2011{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/Tour-of-Nilgiris-to-get-tougher-this-year/article20369929.ece |title=Tour of Nilgiris to get tougher this year |last=M. R |first=Subramani |date=December 12, 2011 |work=The Hindu Businessline |access-date=Sep 25, 2019}}

| Dec 9 - Dec 16

| 860 km

| 70 Cyclists from 3 countries. 3 women riders. Cyclists from India, Italy and US.

scope="row" | 2012{{Cite news |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/298987/us-cyclist-wins-first-day.html |title=US cyclist wins first day 'Tour of Nilgiris' |date=Dec 16, 2012 |work=The Deccan Herald |access-date=Sep 24, 2019}}

| Dec 16 - Dec 23

| 860 km

| 85 Cyclists. 8 women riders.

scope="row" | 2015{{Cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/50363851.cms |title=Tour of Nilgiris - cycling gaining fans especially in corporate world |date=Dec 29, 2015 |work=The Economic Times |access-date=Sep 24, 2019}}

| Dec 16 - Dec 23

| 876 km

| 109{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/cycling/Indian-Terrain-Tour-of-Nilgiris-cycling-event-from-Wednesday/articleshow/50189246.cms |title=Indian Terrain Tour of Nilgiris cycling event from Wednesday |date=Dec 15, 2015 |work=The Times of India |access-date=Sep 25, 2019}} cyclists from 8 countries. India, China, Germany, Nepal, Netherlands, Singapore, UK, and the USA.

scope="row" | 2017{{Cite news |url=https://starofmysore.com/tour-nilgiris-tfn-jersey-unveiled/ |title=Tour Of Nilgiris (TfN) Jersey Unveiled |date=December 9, 2017 |work=The Star of Mysore |access-date=Sep 24, 2019}}

| Dec 10 - Dec 17

| 1000 km

| 128 Cyclists from 8 countries. 18 international riders and 8 women riders. Cyclists were from India(110), Australia, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Russia and the USA.

scope="row" | 2018{{Cite news |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/annual-cycling-event-tour-of-nilgirisdraws-110-cyclists-from-across-globe/article25406401.ece |title=Annual cycling event 'Tour of Nilgiris' draws 110 cyclists from across globe |date=Nov 2, 2018 |work=The Hindu Businessline |access-date=Sep 24, 2019}}

| Dec 9 - Dec 16

| 950 km

| 110 Cyclists from 13 countries. 29 international riders and 17 women riders. India (81), Denmark(7), USA(4), Australia(3), Germany(3), UK(3), Belgium(2), Canada(2), Austria(1), Greece(1), Malaysia(1), Philippines(1) and Poland(1).

scope="row" | 2019

| Dec 8 - Dec 15

| 850+ km

| 56 Cyclists including 6 Women Riders and 5 International Riders

scope="row" | 2022

| Dec 11 - Dec 18

| 850+ km

| 107 Cyclists including 14 Women Riders and 10 International Riders

scope="row" | 2023

| Dec 10 - Dec 17

| 850+ km

| 100 Cyclists including 16 Women Riders and 6 International Riders