Cycling's status has been improved but is yet to flourish a little more at international level. National Federation Secretary General Onkar Singh quotes that once the home starts getting the victory at international level like in the Asian Games, the country will soon prosper in the cycling zone.
Government's hands are the need of this hour for the cycling sector before just like any other sport or game, this one too reaches the stage of endurance on its own.
“A cycle costs Rs 5 lakh, a wheel will cost you Rs 1 lakh and 20 thousand and even a tyre will cost you Rs 20,000. So, it is very difficult for a common man to take up cycling. There has to be some support from the government, state governments specifically,” Onkar notified. He added "They must have centres where there are enough equipment. Otherwise, it will be difficult for us to sustain and produce world-class cyclists."
India is fighting hard at cycling sport and has achieved only three medals at the Asian Games and a couple of medals in the Asian Championships so far. The last time an Indian was qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo was 1964.
For Onkar, infrastructure and finding talent in cycling is not a priority for this sport but having interest and winning medals at international level is the only way to evolve.
Onkar quotes “We have about 16 velodromes in different states of the country. They are all outdoor facilities with concrete tracks. IGI velodrome is the only indoor facility in the country with wooden tracks. This is one of the rare facilities not just in Asia but in the whole world."
"That is why we are coming up so fast on the international scene because we have this kind of facility. Asia has three or four and in the world around 10 or 12 wooden track. ut obviously, we need more indoor facilities, better tracks, preferably of wooden tracks, across the country. It is not easy to do that because of the cost and lack of sponsors. Unfortunately, we are not getting much support and investment from the public sector in such an eco-friendly sport,” Onkar said in concern.
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