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MORNI HILLS, PANCHKULA: The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) successfully concluded the high-stakes selection trials for the Indian Mountain Bike (MTB) team on April 12, 2026. Held at the scenic and challenging terrain of Morni Hills, the event served as the definitive gateway for athletes aiming to represent India at the upcoming Asian Mountain Bike Cycling Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, scheduled for June 23–26, 2026.
The trials, organized under the aegis of the Haryana State Cycling Association, utilized the demanding course previously seen in the 2022-23 National Championships. Athletes across Senior, Under-23, and Junior categories competed in a grueling Cross-Country (XCT) format to secure their spots.
In the Men Elite category, Kushiman Gharti of Army Adventure claimed the top spot with a dominant time of 1:15:14, followed closely by Himachal Pradesh’s Ashish Sherpa. The Men’s U23 division saw a standout performance from Tsewang Norboo representing Ladakh, who clocked the fastest time of the day for that category at 1:13:25.
The Women’s field was equally competitive. Pranita Soman of Maharashtra took first place in the Women Elite category , while Manali Moreshwar Ratnoji, also from Maharashtra, secured the Women U23 title with a time of 1:07:09.
Antony Raj and Pranesh S. secured a 1-2 finish for the state in the Junior Men’s race. On the women’s side, Hashini K. and Sowbarnika S. mirrored that success, taking the top two rankings in the Junior Women’s trial.
Road to Uzbekistan
Per the CFI selection policy, the federation aims to select between 2 to 4 of the best-performing cyclists per category who meet the specific eligibility standards.
With the trials concluded, the selected contingent will now focus on intensive training as they prepare to take on Asia’s best in June. Our best wishes to all these amazing athletes as they represent India on the Asian stage.
Below are the full results:
Men’s Elite
Kushiman Gharti from Army Adventure took the win in the Men’s Elite category over the 5 lap course, he was followed by Ashish Sherpa from Himachal Pradesh and Shiven from Haryana.
The top 3 will be representing India at the Asians.
Women’s Elite
Pranita Soman from Maharashtra took the win in the Women’s Elite category. Star Narzary from Karnataka was in second place with Sandhya Mourya from Madhya Pradesh taking the final podium spot.
The top 2 will be representing India at the Asians.
Men’s Under-23
Tsewang Norboo from Ladakh took the win in the Men’s Under-23. Dhananjay ST from Karnataka took second place while Ayush Negi from Air Force took the final spot.
The top 2 will be representing India at the Asians.
Women’s Under-23
Manali Ratnoji from Maharashtra took the win in the Women’s Under-23 category. She was followed by Joshna Joy from Kerala and Avni Dariyal from Uttarakhand.
The top rider will be representing India at the Asians.
Men’s Junior
Antony Raj from Tamil Nadu took the win the Men’s Junior class, followed by Pranesh S also from Tamil Nadu and Rehaan Roshan from Karnataka.
The top 3 will be representing India at the Asians.
Women’s Junior
Hashini K from Tamil Nadu took 1st place with teammate Sowbarnika S taking second place. Third spot was grabbed by Keerthana Therese Thalody of Kerala.
The top 3 will be representing India at the Asians.
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