INDIAN CRICKET ICON Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been appointed goodwill ambassador for the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026, lending his support to India’s first international road cycling race, which will be held in Pune from 19 to 23 January.
Dhoni’s association comes at a moment as India enters the global professional cycling landscape. In his new role, he will help raise the profile of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour and encourage wider participation in the sport, particularly among young athletes.
The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026 will mark a historic milestone as India’s first UCI 2.2 category, multi-stage, five-day Continental Road Cycling Race for men, placing the country firmly on the world cycling map. The event will cover a newly designed 437-kilometre route through the Deccan Plateau and the Sahyadri range, featuring technical turns and demanding climbs that will test riders’ endurance and skill.
Dhoni said, “I’m happy to be associated with Pune Grand Tour in promoting the sport. With the emergence of Pune Grand Tour, India is peddling into a new chapter in cycling as a professional sport. I wish the organisers, the Pune District Administrators, great success with the initiative and all the riders the very best. A special mention to the Indian National Team, this is their moment to shine in front of home fans and bring glory to the nation.”
