On 10th March 2026, I got a call from a woman cycling activist Asmita Rajbansi. She was seeking a help to bid farewell and good luck to Ranjana Dhami, who was rushing to participate Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Para Cycling World Cup in Chiang Mai Thailand. Ranjana marked the first para cyclist from Nepal to participate UCI Para Cycling World Cup. She had got opportunity to join Athlete-training Camp on 14-18 March 2026 before participating the first round of the World Cup from 19 to 22 March.
I like volunteering to cycle culture promotion in Nepal. We immediately accepted Asmita's wish to organize a semi-formal event catching Ranjana on the way to the airport the next day morning. I began to study para cycling history. Para cycling is practiced by athletes with recognized and classified physical impairments: limb deficiencies and impairments affecting muscle strength (amputations or hypertonia), neurological movement disorders (including cerebral palsy), and visual impairments. Para cyclists use cycles adapting to their specific impairments – modified to suit their needs such as tricycles, handcycles, tandems, etc. The more interesting thing to me was that, unlike general cyclists, para cyclists embody distinct cycling stories. The subtle excitement and higher level of competitive aesthetics of para cyclists impress me. Ranjana had to pedal road cycle with her left hand in the absence of her right hand.
I found Ram Adhikari, Shreejana Tamang, and Shanti Puri pedaling with single hand from Lumbini to Kushinagar with us last year impressive. But all the para cyclists of Nepal use MTB, not road bike. Road cycle was new to Ranjana, too; she had not even touched a road cycle. She had a common MTB for daily commuting; she had no a road cycle; she could not afford it for the UCI World Cup. She did not have money to buy an air ticket, too. She used bicycle to save travel cost. It looks hard to earn livelihood to an indigenous girl from a village of Nijghat Bara in Kathmandu. She saw future in emerging para cycling but she lacked sufficient supportive hands.
Rajendra Koirala, President of Nepal Para Cycling Association (PCAN) and member of Nepal Paralympic, personally sponsored her airfare, visa, and insurance costs. In his words, PCAN being almost invisible, donors do not care. UCI sponsored to coach only, not to the rider. Sarmila Bhatta joined as a coach; Koirala contributed to Ranjana's expenses. Nepal has short history of para cycling. Among three dozens of para cyclists, half dozens deserve to take part in international challenges as said PCAN. PCAN has not organized para cycling event till date. Nepal Cycling Association (NCA) is the only state-sponsored overall cycling organization of Nepal. It hardly gives priority to para cycling in its three decade long history. Ranjana's attempt appeared as the first experience to NCA and PCAN in representing UCI Para Cycling World Cup from Nepal. How effectively NCA and PCAN play role to support para cyclists could make difference. Nepal government has not emphasized the subaltern para cyclists till date. Ranjana had failed to participate Paralympic in China last time but could just listed as a C-5 qualifier through the urgent help of NCA. This time she successfully participated UCI world cup. We need to work hard to create Nepali para cycling history from below.
Para cycling originated in 1980s with visually impaired riders who competed on a tandem with sighted partner. In New York summer Paralympic road races were organized in 1984 for riders with cerebral palsy. Since 1996 track cycling was included as well as variety of disabilities in various functional categories. In 2000 handcycling was included in Paralympic. These days, para cycling events consists road (road race, individual time trial, handcycling team relay) and track (tandem sprint, team sprint, time trial, individual pursuit, scratch race). Riders classified of three broad groups (visual impairment, cerebral palsy, and physical impairment) subdivided into 14 functional categories are placed in the apt category as per their functional ability. Para cycling international Paralympic history shows increasing trend of para cyclists including women. UCI began to organize para cycling since 2009. Over the last 15 years, 43 nations have won UCI Para Cycling Road World Championship medals. High level para cycling has developed very rapidly becoming this sport deeper technological and training having more advanced, and drawing more aesthetic competitions. Paralympic and UCI world champions have remarkable stories.
Ranjana grasped UCI para cycling athlete training and World Cup participation. Among 45 countries, she got a new road cycle and cycle gears from UCI solidarity fund. She got technical training too. After she returned back she came to Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur and shared her world cup experience. She said, "I had never imagined that I get an expensive brand new road bike. I got cycle gears, too." While biding best wishes in an open space in Jawalakhel, she had cried bitterly among cyclists and good wishers. She had no cycle with her, not even a jersey to represent Nepal. She had not practiced road bike at all; nor had even touched a road bike. A Nepal jersey was mandatory to participate UCI world cup. She went Thailand to participate athlete-training camp and world cup without cycle and cycle gears. Ranjana might have experienced the limitations of herself and her stakeholders sadly and badly, then, though she did not dare to share.
Panc-Bike first sponsored her a MTB bicycle that offered her autonomy and inner freedom - she is using for daily commuting. Now UCI has presented her a brand new road cycle that costs more than five lakhs. UCI has also presented her all required cycle gears. The Canadian coach taught her each and every step to handle road bike. She fell down in second lap at the cornering, but did not stop. Transitioning from MTB to road cycling was completely new experience for her. She had to learn breaking and gear shifting technique and how to clip in and out of her cycle shoes first time. Cycle handling, smooth gear shifting, maintaining balance and rhythm on pace, pedaling technique, maintaining steady speed, improving control, bicycle set up, maintenance, customization all were too new to her. Within short period of time she had to apply the technical tips in championship. She fell twice during her training and experienced a crash in championship. However, she completed the first UCI Para Cycling Road World Cup. Sharing her inner feeling, she said, "These challenges taught me self-discipline, dedication, determination, and commitment." I felt her transformed. She further said, "I learnt how to stay positive and enjoy what I have." Sharing her achievement and obstacles of shifting from Taekwondo to para cycling, she said, "I want to contribute in cycling sport throughout my life." Let's motivate the mentors of the margin!
