A Journey of Struggle, Courage, Cycling and Hope

I am a Nepali mountain-bike athlete, adventurer, trekking and mountain-bike guide, entrepreneur, cancer survivor, and the founder of Altitude Challenge.

My story began in 1975 in Lisangkhu, Sindhupalchok, a small mountain village in Nepal.

Growing up surrounded by hills, forests, mountain trails, and simple village life, I never imagined that my journey would one day take me from a small Himalayan village to international mountain-bike races—and eventually to a mission of bringing hope to people affected by cancer.

In 1993, at the age of 18, I moved to Kathmandu in search of work and a better future.

My first relationship with a bicycle was not about racing.

It was about survival.

For several years, I worked as a bicycle delivery rider in Kathmandu. Later, I entered the trekking industry as a porter, carrying heavy loads through difficult Himalayan trails. Through hard work and experience, I progressed from porter to trekking guide and eventually became professionally involved in mountain biking and adventure tourism.

The mountains became my teacher.

They taught me patience.

They taught me endurance.

And they taught me one of the most important lessons of my life:

When the road becomes difficult, keep moving forward.

THE RACER

I began my competitive mountain-bike journey in 2016.

What started as a new challenge quickly became a passion.

I competed in national and international races, including Yak Attack, MTB Himalaya, Bike Transalp, Sea to Summit, and Cape Epic in South Africa.

I achieved numerous podium finishes and won more than three dozen local races.

I became a three-time National Mountain Bike Champion in the Masters category, including championship victories after surviving cancer.

But behind every medal was a story of hard work, sacrifice, failure, financial challenges, physical pain, and the determination to start again.

THE HARDEST RACE

In 2020, life presented me with a challenge far greater than any mountain-bike race.

I was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

During 2020 and 2021, I underwent two surgeries and approximately 27 rounds of chemotherapy.

My body became weak.

My future became uncertain.

And the bicycle that had been such an important part of my life suddenly seemed very far away.

But I refused to give up.

With the support of my family, friends, and loved ones, I slowly began rebuilding my strength.

In 2022, I returned to cycling.

Then came moments I will never forget.

In 2023, I became a national champion again.

And in 2024, I became a national champion once more.

I also achieved more than 30 victories in local mountain-bike races.

Those victories meant more than medals.

They represented a return to life.

They proved to me that cancer could change my life...

but it could not define the rest of my life.

YAK ATTACK — A SPECIAL CHAPTER OF MY JOURNEY

Over the years, Yak Attack has become one of the most important and challenging races of my mountain-bike journey.

From 2017 to 2026, I participated in Yak Attack seven times.

I won five times and finished second twice.

The difficult climbs, Himalayan terrain, physical exhaustion, and mental challenges of Yak Attack taught me something new every time.

The race strengthened my consistency, discipline, and ability to keep moving forward in difficult circumstances.

Looking back today, Yak Attack has become an important part of my identity as a racer.

But by then, my goal was no longer simply to win.

Life was leading me toward something much greater.

BEYOND THE FINISH LINE

After cancer, I continued challenging myself through some of the most demanding cycling adventures.

I took part in Sea to Summit, riding from the sea-level region of Digha in India toward the Himalayas and the Everest region.

I also completed Temple to Temple, a cycling journey of approximately 1,250 kilometres from Pashupatinath in Nepal to Kedarnath in India.

In 2025, I had the opportunity to participate in Cape Epic in South Africa, one of the world's most prestigious mountain-bike races.

But somewhere along this journey, I began to understand something deeper.

The greatest achievement of my life was not going to be another medal.

It was going to be what I could do...

for someone else.

RIDE TO LIFE

During my cancer treatment, I witnessed the struggles of patients and families who faced not only illness, but also serious financial difficulties in accessing treatment.

I began asking myself:

“What can I do?”

I did not have a hospital.

I was not a doctor.

But I had a bicycle.

And I had a story.

That idea became Ride to Life.

Ride to Life is my long-term mission to use cycling as a platform for cancer awareness, support, community connection, and hope.

In January 2026, I led an approximately 1,800-kilometre charity cycling journey across Nepal, combining cycling with cancer-awareness programs, community outreach, and support for cancer survivors and people facing financial difficulties during treatment.

The journey also contributed to the establishment of a Cancer Survivor Support Fund at Dhulikhel Hospital.

For me, the meaning of the bicycle had completely changed.

Once, it carried me to work.

Then it carried me into the mountains.

Then it carried me to races and championships.

And after cancer...

it began carrying hope.