‘Pune Grand Tour’ Takes Pune’s Name to the Global Stage – Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

Final Stage of ‘Pune Grand Tour’ Flagged Off at Balewadi

Pune, Jan 2026 : The administration has made excellent preparations and developed high-quality infrastructure for hosting the international cycling competition ‘Pune Grand Tour’. Cyclists from India and abroad, as well as the Central Government, have expressed satisfaction with the arrangements. Owing to this competition, Pune district has gained recognition at the global level, said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The final stage of the ‘Pune Grand Tour’ was formally flagged off by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Union Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Raksha Khadse at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mahalunge–Balewadi.

On the occasion, MP Medha Kulkarni, Sports and Youth Services Commissioner Sheetal Teli Ugle, District Collector Jitendra Dudi, PMRDA Commissioner Yogesh Mhase, Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinaykumar Choubey, Director General of the International Cycling Union (UCI) Amina Lanaya, President of the Asian Cycling Confederation Dato Amarjit Singh Gill, Secretary General of the Cycling Federation of India Dato Maninder Pal Singh, actor Aamir Khan, Vice President (Taxation) of Bajaj Auto Chetan Joshi, along with several dignitaries from various fields, were present.

Deputy CM Pawar stated that the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour, an international cycling event, was jointly organized by the Central and State Governments across Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad city, and rural areas of the district from January 19 to 23, 2026. The event received an enthusiastic response from sports lovers in both urban and rural areas, with participation from youth, women, farmers, students, and other sections of society. He recalled that earlier editions of the competition in Pune had also received overwhelming public support.

He further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making concerted efforts for India to host future Olympic Games. With the objective of promoting sports and nurturing talented athletes, the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Mahalunge–Balewadi has been developed. The State Government will continue its efforts to host more international-standard sporting events across the state and the country, he added.

Union Minister of State Raksha Khadse said she was extremely pleased with the successful international-standard organization of the ‘Pune Grand Tour’ by the Maharashtra Government and the district administration. Sports will play a significant role in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, and the country is making consistent progress in the sports sector. Efforts are underway to promote sports as a form of ‘soft power’. With the support of the government and sponsors, the necessary infrastructure for the competition has been created, earning widespread appreciation. By bringing together global-level athletes, the event aims to promote sports tourism, and India is emerging as a hub for sports tourism, which is a matter of pride.

Actor Aamir Khan also congratulated the organizers for the successful conduct of the ‘Pune Grand Tour’.

Meanwhile, German cyclist Bendke Becker was given a guard of honor on this occasion. Becker has participated in various international competitions as a cyclist for the past 20 years and is retiring from professional cycling after this event.