Hubbali: It may be an innocuous little town to most but to those who enjoy cycling, Jamkhandi in Bagalkot district is the place to be to make a mark in competitions.
The town has produced several cyclists of national and international repute, but has no velodrome track to offer with a national cycling contest round the corner in December.
Cyclists training for the competition have no choice but to depend on the national highway, dodging heavy traffic to hone their skills. In the process, at least two students have lost their lives and several have been injured on the highways.
The cycling tradition in Bagalkot dates back to British times when royal families organised cycling competitions during annual fairs.
No one comes to the aid of cyclists, many of whom are from poor families and cannot afford to buy even cheaper bicycles.
“The state government had identified 10 acres for construction of the velodrome track in Bhutanal village on the outskirts of Bijapur in 2005, but the project did not take off,” says cyclist coach, M P Maranur.
