MTB Himalaya Shimla begins with gravel bikes newly in the mix

Three days, a lot of vertical

The 13th MTB Himalaya Shimla started on Friday, bringing more than 80 participants from 20 cities into a three-day mountain bike race built around 130 km and 3,800m of climbing.

That course profile matters because the headline number is not just distance. Across three days, the climbing load will make pacing and recovery central to the race. Riders who go too deep early will have to carry that cost into the following stages, while those who can keep traction, manage effort and stay efficient off-road should be better positioned as fatigue builds.

A small equipment shift with tactical consequences

The other notable change is that gravel bikes are allowed for the first time. On a route described as predominantly off-road, that opens a real trade-off rather than a simple equipment upgrade. A gravel bike could be attractive on faster or smoother sections, but the terrain still rewards control, durability and confidence when surfaces get rough.

For serious cyclists, the interest is in how that choice shapes the race. The event is still clearly a mountain bike challenge, but the new equipment option adds another layer to how riders approach speed, risk and energy conservation.

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