2026 Rally of Himalayas concludes

The JK Tyre Rally of Himalayas, presented by J&K Bank, concluded on September 30, after over four days of intense competition across the landscapes of Lahaul-Spiti and Zanskar. 80 riders and 50 cars present at the event tackled some of the most demanding mountain routes.

The Lahaul-Spiti challenge

The rally flagged off from Manali on September, 26 and the route included the Himalayan passes, the strategic crossing of Kunzum La, which is known for its extreme conditions and challenging driving lines. Rajiv Yadav had a strong presence, as he took the lead on the first day itself. Meanwhile, Aaryak Rana was one of the few who could challenge him in the early phases.

Meanwhile, a standout 72km competition also ran in the reverse direction. The format presented a unique challenge for the participants. Following this, Lakhpa Tsering, who was the 2015 Raid de Himalaya winner, had to withdraw owing to a technical issue. Following the reverse stage, Daksh Gill performed strongly, securing the win in the next two stages, beginning with the reverse Losar to Gramphu stage. With the competition advancing to Shinku La, the elevation increased to more than 16,500 feet. Gill managed to maintain his pace under the challenging conditions, which shaped the race outcome.

The terrain in Zanskar Valley created one of the most demanding phases of the event and the competitors faced a high-speed run across the high-altitude terrain, which is characterised by its desert-like landscape. Despite the challenge, Daksh Gill remained consistent with a strong pace, reaching speeds of around 200kmph.

The Rally of Himalayas 2026 concluded at Padum in the Zanskar District. Dhritimaan Singh was the winner in the Moto (two-wheel) category, with Happy Verma and Nitish Bharadwaj as the runner-up and second runner-up, respectively. Meanwhile, Rajiv Yadav and Rohit Gowda clinched the victory in the Xtreme (four-wheel) category, followed by Aaryak Rana and Aditya Sharma as runner-ups, and Daksh Gill with Virender Kashyap as the second runner-up. In the Adventure (four-wheel) category, Soham Hazra and Nirav Mehta took the top step of the podium, followed by Santosh HM and Prakash Muthuswamy as the runner-ups. Chandra Mouli and Sri Sakthi Kumar N were the second runner-ups. Meanwhile, Sachin Mandhwani and Adhitya Anthony finished in third place.