Shimla, Oct 4 (IANS): The ninth edition of Hero MTB Himalaya-Shimla Edition will be organised from October 8 to October 10 in Himachal Pradesh.

The two-day mountain bike racing has been pioneered by Shimla-based HASTPA and is in its sixth year now.

The race is organised in the state capital and covers 120 km with an elevation gain of 3,500 metres.

The race route takes the riders through forests, river crossings, rugged terrains and meadows, giving an ultimate off-road experience to the participants, the rally organisers said.

"Our team is excited to see the large volume of participation and will constantly work towards putting Shimla on the global map as a destination for mountain biking," HASTPA President Mohit Sood told IANS.

He said a large number of registrations have been received from Gurgaon, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Manali and Shimla.

The trophy was bagged by Shimla last year with boys from the city vying across the podiums in multiple categories.