The Pune Grand Tour begins on Monday with an eight-kilometre prologue starting from Goodluck Chowk on FC Road and ending at Deccan Bus Stand. Here we take a look at the players from the two Indian teams participating in the race – the Indian National Team and the Indian Development Team. Each team has six riders and will compete with teams from 35 countries. A total of 171 runners from 29 teams will participate in the event.
Naveen John
BengaluruKarnataka.
A pioneer of Indian road cycling, Naveen’s career began in his early 20s while pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering degree at Purdue University. Among other achievements, he is a 10-time national champion (road and time trial) and a 4-time gold medalist at the National Games. He went on to create many records for India, including being the first Indian cyclist to participate in a UCI continental team. His most notable year came in 2017, with double gold at the National Championships, followed by international success at the South Asian Games (2019).
Surya Ramesh Thathu
Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra
Surya transitioned from inline skating at the national level to competitive cycling, quickly establishing himself through consistent performances. He represents Team India at the international level and trains under coach Amit Jangra. Surya, who received the Shiv Chhatrapati Award (2020), was named Best Cyclist of the Year 2024 by the Cycling Federation of India. In 2024, he also represented India at the Asian Road Cycling Championships. His defining moment came with gold at the 25th National Road Cycling Championship (2020-21).
Vishavajeet Singh
Patiala, Punjab
Born into a family of cyclists, Vishavajeet began training at the age of 13 and has steadily risen through the ranks. Representing Team India, he trains under Coach Joginder and has competed in major multi-sport events including the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, establishing himself as a strong presence on the international athletics circuit. He is the national record holder: individual pursuit and team pursuit.
sahil kumar
Haryana
Sahil, a member of the Indian Air Force cycling contingent, is a versatile cyclist in track and road disciplines. At the 38th National Games (2025), he won gold (Scratch Race), silver (Road Race) and bronze (Omnium). He also represented India at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Track Championships. Holding the rank of Junior Warrant Officer, he was a key contributor to the Indian Air Force team’s national title at the 29th National Road Cycling Championships (2024). He has won gold in Gold at Track Asia Cup 2017 (Team Sprint).
Dinesh Kumar
Rourkela, Odisha
Dinesh, an elite endurance cyclist with a record-breaking career, rose to fame after winning gold at the Khelo India Youth Games (2020). At the 38th National Games (2025), she set a new Games record in the 4 km individual pursuit, along with gold in the road race and silver in the Omnium. Junior Warrant Officer of the Indian Air Force, he has represented India on multiple occasions on the international stage. He has two gold medals at the 2025 National Games (Individual Pursuit and Road Race).
Harshveer Singh Sekhon
ludhiana,Punjab
Harshveer, a senior Indian track and road cyclist, also switched from roller skating to cycling in 2018. A multiple national champion, he represented India at the 2023 Asian Games and made history in 2024 by becoming the first Indian endurance cyclist to compete at the World Track Cycling Championships. He has won Bronze in 40 km Individual Time Trial (ITT), 2025 National Games.
Indian Development Team Rider Profiles
Sachin Desai
Maharastra
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Sachin rose to prominence as the national record holder in the junior category of Individual Pursuit. He is a key member of the South Western Railway cycling team and serves as a ticket examiner. His career is highlighted by a bronze medal at the 2016 Track Asia Cup and a silver medal at the 2022 All India Railway Championship. He has also served as a cycling ambassador for Gujarat. He won the silver medal at the 26th National Road Cycling Championships.
Manav Sardá
Bikaner, Rajasthan
Manav is a decorated Indian cyclist who has achieved significant success in national competitions. Manav is known for his dedicated approach to training with international trainers and sponsored by sports nutrition brands, and regularly shares his journey and lessons learned on social media. He won the gold medal in the U23 Time Trial at the 2023 National Championships and the Silver in 2025.
Vivaan Sapru
BombayMaharastra
Vivaan, a young cyclist at the national level, won a silver medal in the individual pursuit at the Khelo India Youth Games in 2023, his second consecutive medal in the event. Vivaan started riding seriously in 2017 and within a year he was invited to train at the SAI National Cycling Academy in Delhi play for your country. He won the bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Track Cycling Championships.
Niraj Kumar
Haryana
Kumar is a track cyclist from Haryana who has achieved notable success for both his state and his railway team. He represented India at the 19th Asian Games, participating in the men’s team pursuit. He achieved a sixth place in the men’s Madison and a tenth place in the men’s Scratch race at the 2023 Asian. He won the silver medal at the 2025 National Road Championships (Road Race).
Dhruv Dahiya
Bengaluru, Karnataka
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Dhruv is a fourth generation Indian military officer. He graduated from the Indian Military Academy in June 2024. He also holds national medals in skating and is pursuing a career in road cycling, having trained with top international cyclists and represented the Indian development team in several races. He won a Bronze medal in the 2021 National Track Cycling Championship (Scratch Race).
Akshar Tyagi
New Delhi
A former national level speed skater, Akshar transitioned to cycling and has since become a member of the Indian national contingent. He was notable for his role in controlling the peloton during a national under-23 road race in which his teammate achieved a podium finish. He is several times national under-23 individual time trial (ITT) champion.