Luke Mudgway triumphs in the Mulshi-Maval stage of the Pune Grand Tour

New Zealander Luke Mudgway took first place in the first stage of the Pune Grand Tour cycling challenge on January 20. Mudgway, who clocked a time of 2:00:21 hours on the 87.5 km route through Mulshi-Maval, represents the Chinese Li Ning Star team. The leg of the race started at TCS Circle near Hinjewadi and ended at DY Patil Institute in Akurdi.

Andreas Matildas of Quick Pro Team, Estonia, finished a close second after recording 2:00:27, with Yorben Lauryssen of Tarteletto-Isorex, Belgium, completing the podium with 2:00:30. According to Union Cycliste Internationale regulations for 2.2 stage races, the top three finishers earned time bonuses of 10, six and four seconds, respectively.

Harshveer Singh Sekhon of the Indian national team was the best performing Indian athlete with a 74th place and a time of 2:07:15.

Mudgway told The indian express“I had a pretty quick finish, so going into the finish I was pretty confident I could get the win. So I just did my sprint and got the win.” Speaking about the accident involving several cyclists before the first hill near the village of Kolvan, Mudgway said: “I didn’t see the accident. I knew it could be quite dangerous today so I stayed close to the front.”

The race was “neutralized” or paused for 23 minutes after the second platoon of cyclists crashed and several cyclists suffered injuries that were treated by on-site ambulances. Three riders withdrew from the race due to the accident. Additionally, a Malaysian cyclist crashed at the finish line after tripping over the finish line boundary that had come loose from the ground.

Speaking to the media about the toughest stretch, Mudgway opined: “Probably the descent of the first categorized climb. It was very, very steep and very technical. But at the same time, I think that made the difference in the race. That’s where we got the gap. It was a very fast part of the race. I was very happy that we were able to finish it.”

Frenchman Killian Larpe of the Sélection Nationale France Défense team scored maximum points at the first checkpoint of the King of the Mountain. Cristian Railaen, also from Li Ning Star, showed consistency on the climbs and finished in the top three at all checkpoints on the mountain. Railaenu collected five points to secure the ‘Polka Dot’ jersey.

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Jambalijamts Sainbayar from Burgos Burpellet BH, Spain, claimed the orange jersey as the “Best Asian Cyclist”. Spiero Tamar of the Wielerploeg Groot Amsterdam team was awarded the white jersey as the best young runner, while Harshveer Singh Sekhon of the Indian national team led the national contingent to win the blue jersey as the best Indian runner.

Soham Shah is a correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with experience in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous, research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Experience Role: Correspondent covering education and urban affairs in Pune. Specialization: Its main objective is education, but it also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights and state policy. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reporting, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Their late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-focused reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human rights stories: 1. Investigations and Governance “Express Impact: Mother’s name now a must for downloading birth certificate from PMC site” (December 20, 2025) – Reports on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following its reports previous statements on the inclusion of gender in administrative documents. “44-acre Mahar land controversy: In June, a Pune official sought land eviction at the firm behest of Pawar’s son” (November 9, 2025) – An investigative article on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education and University Life Faculty crisis at SPPU affects research and administrative work: 62% of government approved posts are vacant, more than 75% in many departments (September 12, 2025) – A research paper on faculty vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. “Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why the National Curriculum Framework recommends a Class 6 third language” (July 2) – This in-depth article discusses the reasons behind why the state’s decision to introduce a Class 1 third language was controversial. “Decline in number of schools and teachers in Maharashtra but increase in student enrollment: Report” (January 2025): Analysis of discrepancies in state’s education data despite increase in the number of students. 3. Human Rights and Social Issues “Aanchal Mamidawar Was Brave After Her Family Killed Her Boyfriend” (December 17, 2025) – A deeply personal and hard-hitting article/opinion column on the “crime of love” and honor killings in modern India. “‘People don’t respect the disabled’: Meet the man who has become the face of racist attacks against Indians” (November 29, 2025) – Profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online bullying, highlighting issues of disability and cyberbullying. Distinctive style Soham is known for his vision of civil liberties. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized, whether students fighting for university democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents fighting crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his contributions to “Breathless Pune”). He is adept at linking Pune’s hyperlocal issues to broader national conversations about law and freedom. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 …Read more

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