Pune Grand Tour 2026: For Surya Ramesh Thathu, India’s biggest stage race is more than just a race

For Indian cycling, moments like these don’t come often. The Pune Grand Tour (PGT), being held for the first time in India, represents more than just another stage race; it is a long-awaited opportunity for domestic riders to experience international-level racing without leaving home. For Surya Ramesh Thathu, one of India’s most promising cyclists, the Pune Grand Tour is both a challenge and a responsibility.

Born into a Kashmiri Pandit family and raised in Maharashtra following his family’s migration, Surya’s journey into professional sport was anything but conventional. Like many Indian households, academics were prioritised, but it was his elder brother’s love for outdoor sports that quietly changed the course of his life. What began as casual training in cricket and athletics soon evolved into competitive inline skating—where Surya first tasted discipline, speed, and endurance. Cycling entered his life in 2015–16 as cross-training for skating. But results came quickly. Podium finishes followed, and a crucial decision was made: to step away from skating and fully commit to cycling. That leap of faith paid off.

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Surya’s breakthrough moment arrived at the 25th National Road Cycling Championship (2020–21), where he won his first gold medal. “That victory is still one of my best memories,” he recalls. “It told me that the hard work was finally translating into results, and that I could aim higher.” Since then, his career graph has steadily climbed. Representing Team India at the Asian Road Cycling Championship 2024, Surya received what he calls a “reality check.” The intensity, aggression, and constant attacking style of international racing exposed the gap—not just in fitness, but in experience.

“We train hard in India,” he admits, “but exposure is what we lack. That kind of racing teaches you things no training session can.”

That is precisely why the Pune Grand Tour matters. A multi-stage race demands far more than individual brilliance. It requires teamwork, tactical discipline, and role clarity. Primarily a sprinter, Surya knows his responsibilities, protect teammates on climbing stages, conserve energy, and deliver when the race comes down to high-speed finishes.

“This isn’t about personal goals,” he says. “It’s about racing for the team, for the name behind us. If the situation demands, I’ll work for a teammate. If it comes down to a sprint, that’s where I step up.”

Beyond competition, Surya believes PGT could redefine Indian cycling’s ecosystem. With backing from the Cycling Association of Maharashtra, Cycling Federation of India, the Maharashtra government, and corporate sponsors like Bajaj, the race offers Indian cyclists something they have long craved—international-standard exposure on home soil.

“When races like this happen in India, the support is bigger, the motivation is higher, and the pressure is real,” he says. “Crossing the finish line in front of your own people means everything.”

As Pune prepares to host this landmark event, Surya Ramesh Thathu stands as a symbol of what Indian cycling can become, with patience, exposure, and belief. For young riders from smaller cities dreaming of the international circuit, his message remains simple: “Keep pushing. Even when progress isn’t visible, that’s when growth is happening.”