One of the 2006 participants in India sent me the above bull article (words in white)...and prefers to remain anonymous...in case you're too lazy to click on the pages above, I've reproduced the article (without the captions) below :-
"MTB Himachal finished in Manali, HP two days ago. The 700km and nine day race involved most evenings finishing with riding rough back roads in the dark due to occasional shambolic organisation by MTB Himachal race staff. On two separate nights dinner was supplied before 10pm.
The prize giving in Manali was presided over by the Governor of Himachal Pradesh. During the race the three Hungarian competitors lost in the jungle in the night were found by a lost race marshall after only two hours. Five riders were attacked and nearly gored by an angry bull. Three leopards andone bear were seen but none was fast enough to injure competitors. One competitor was bitten by a dog and completed a series of rabies vaccines. The truck that capsized due to overloading only injured one man who is still recovering in Kullu.
Of the 56 competitors starting the race only 33 people finished. This was in part due to hunger, exhaustion and sleeplessness related to organisation issues with event. The men's section was completely cleaned up by the Indian army while international competitors were lost in the jungle.
There were vigorous protests by international competitors as the Indian army participants could not ride any technical sections and instead lifted their 20 kg steel Hero cycles onto their shoulders and ran and jumped past technically able riders, beating them on technical downhill sections. The protests were ignored by race officials."
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