NAMCHI (SOUTH SIKKIM): Despite finishing second in the penultimate leg of the nine-leg 452-km long first $ 25,000 International Mountain Biking Expedition being organised by the Sikkim Tourism Department, international Padam Sabenhhang of Himalayan Ultimate Biking -I was maintaining his lead as 30 competitors reported here this evening.

After completion of eighth leg from Soerang Sombaria to Namchi, a distance of 38.4 km, including free ride, Nepal champion Padam pedalled the distance in 1::23:03 to maintain his overall lead with an impressive timing of 14 hours and 40:02 seconds.

His long-haired colleague Mangal Krishna Lama was occupying the provision second position with an aggregate time of 14::40:17:3. According to unconfirmed report, the HUB-I team was also in the front to the team championship. At the third position in the overall individual standing is Naresh Barman of Army C who has covered the energy-saving metalled road-off-road-hike-and-bike competition, in 15::57:29.

However, Monday Ramesh Chandra Joshi (Army A) cornered glory by winning the eighth leg by clocking 25-km competitive route in 1::23:03. After finishng the first position today, Ramesh was holding fourth position with an aggregate timing of  15:57:29.

Ang Phurba Sherpa of HUB I was leading in the Masters category as he had finished eight legs in 22::35:38. Ang has claimed Himalaya twice besides scaling other peaks. White-beared Saminder Saluja of Melting Point was occupying the second position in the Masters section with a timing of 23::29:36. Forty eight year old Jigme D Denjongpa was keeping Sikkim's hopes alive in the Masters category as he covered the marathon cycling (eight legs) in 30::02:03.

With American Shri Leventhal withdrawing from the competition after first leg, Indian national champion Kulbir Kaur of Guru Gobind Singh College of Sector 26 Chandigarh was holding the spotlight in the women's category.Kulbir Kaur, representing Firefox, clocked 23::49:17 and was at the 25th place in overall. Her colleague Monika, the youngest competitor at the age of 18, was at the second position in the women's section and 29th in overall with 29:47:19.

Overall provisional position after eight legs:

Provisional- Ranking 1. Padam Sabenhhang , (HUB – 1) 14::40:02,  2.  Mangal Krishna Lama , (HUB – 1), 14:40:17,  3.  Naresh Barman,–C,(Army Adventure Wing),  15:57:29;  4. Ramesh Chandra Joshi, (Army Adventure Wing-A) 16:09:32;  5. Kalyan Singh, (Army Adventure Wing-B), 16:11:41; 6. Dileep Kumar Singh, (Army Adventure Wing) 16:11:46;  7. Sushil Singh (Army Adventure Wing) 16:19:06; 8.  Diben Meetei (Army Adventure Wing) 16:34:32;  9. Kankan Patgiri (Army Adventure Wing) 16:41:10;  10. Atul Kumar (Army Adventure Wing) 16:42:12;  11. Pravin Bhintade  (Army Adventure Wing)17:49:28 ;  12 . Sishir Man Singh Karki (Army Adventure Wing) 18:08:13;  13 Bhura Ram  (Army Adventure Wing) 18:09:41;  14. Atar Singh  (Army Adventure Wing)  18:10:10;  15.  Bhairab Deuri  (Army Adventure Wing) 18:32:59;  16. Balbeer Singh  (Army Adventure Wing) 18:58:51;  17. Brinda Mohan Subba  (HUB) 19:32:01;  18. Prashant Sharma  (Firefox-Chandigarh) 21:06:19;  19. Sandeep Thakur  (Firefox-Chandigarh) 22:23:53; 20.  Angphurba Sherpa (HUB) 22:35:38;  21 Sisir Khartam  (HUB) 22:58:43;  22. Bikash Limbu  (HUB) 23:05:06;  23. Saminder Saluja  (Melting Point) 23:29:36;  24. Sombir  (Army Adventure Wing) 23:32:07;  25. Kulbir Kaur  (Firefox-Chandigarh) 23:49:17; 26.  Padam Subba  (HUB) 26:27:0327. Palden Thendup Sherpa  (HUB) 27:20:17; 28. Basant Pradhan  (HUB) 28:12:31;  29. Monika  (Firefox-Chandigarh) 29:47:19;  30. Jigme D Denjongpa  (Melting Point) 30:02:03.