The top 5 riders from the 2012 Trans Nepal race were selected to receive 50% financial support from the race organisers to take part in Yak Attack. For these riders we need to raise US$400 per rider to cover their expenses during the 12 days they will be racing.

1st placed rider in Trans Nepal seeking support for Yak Attack 2013 - Narayan Gopal Maharajan - Sponsored by Ed Menzies (South Africa)

"I am a professional mountain bike racer from Nepal. I have been riding mountain bikes since 2005. At the moment I am in the current national team of Nepal and my next aim and goal for 2013 is to win the National Championships and Yak Attack”

Narayan first got interested in biking by training with his good friends Ajay and Raj Kumar on a simple bike, riding and training around Kathmandu. What started off as a boys adventure turned in to a career as one of Nepal’s top three riders.

With over seven years of mountain biking and racing experience in Nepal, he is well considered as one of Nepal’s senior riders, he has plenty of speed but up until recently has been let down by his downhill and technical riding ability which meant he has played second fiddle to other better riders for a long time. Just recently Narayan has leaped ahead and improved his skill and is now a regular visitor to the top tier of the podium. He is a very determined rider and Nepal’s first pro rider to make the cross over to a 29er. Yak Attack is one of his biggest dreams and the tough and technical nature of the race will be a huge challenge for him and his new found confidence. Whatever the result, Narayan will always be smiling at the finish line.

2nd placed rider in Trans Nepal seeking support for Yak Attack 2013- Ajay Pandit Chhetri -Sponsored by Ed Menzies (South Africa)

Ajay started his cycle odyssey  riding on an old indian bike he borrowed from a friends shop at the age of 15. He went on to become mechanic for Dawn till Dusk and at 18 yrs old entered his first Yak Attack in 2007, placing 12th overall. He has come along way since then, becoming Nepal National MTB champ for the previous 2 years and winning the last 3 Yak Attacks. Ajay has also raced in La Ruta, Trans Wales and Cape Epic amongst other races.

Ajays future aspirations are to continue racing in Nepal and on the international circuit and to help the new generation of Nepali rders to go even further than he has.

4th placed rider in Trans Nepal seeking support for Yak Attack 2013- Rajan Bhandari - Sponsored by Northcentral University p/b Nepali Tea Traders Cycling Team.

Rajan Bhandari is a 19 year old rider from the region of Kavre in East Nepal. He started Mountain Biking only a year and a half ago and has already established himself in Nepal’s top ten rider rankings. He began his riding career when he brought a Honey Hunter Bike from Himalayan Single Track. He now works for that same company as a mountain bike guide and he rides a Giant XTC.

“ At first, I feel a little hard in riding, but my senior riders and other friends help me to improve my riding day by day and to become one of the better riders in Nepal, but for me, there is still lots of things to improve and learn ahead or me! Now I love mountain biking because it has become part of my body and if I don’t ride for a couple of days I feel Sick, it is my passion and my daily life. In the future I don't want to become a champ but I would like to introduce myself as a good rider. Till now I got support from Himalayan Single Track in my every step of mountain biking and all the stuff I need to ride. ”.

The highlight of Rajan’s riding so far is finishing 3rd in the Lubhu – Lakuri race in January, it was my first time on the podium. He sees the chance to race in Yak Attack as a huge challenge and a place where he can learn and improve his riding skills. For him this is a great opportunity.

Below is a  list of riders that finished outside of the top 5 of the 2012 Trans Nepal, but all are very capable of a podium finish (Aayman and Roan both crashed and had to retire, Santosh and Mangal gave up any hope of finishing in the top 5 to stay with Aayman after he crashed, until the emergency jeep arrived). For these riders we need to raise US$800 per rider to cover all their expenses during the 12 days of racing

Aayman Tamang - Sponsored by Northcentral University p/b Nepali Tea Traders Cycling Team.

Weighing in at just 50kg, Aayman might be small, but he is fast, strong and charismatic. He’s also one of the better technically skilled riders in Nepal with the sometimes frighten ability to ride down anything and everything in his path. The once junior National champ is now embarking on his third attempt at Yak Attack and after improving his timing last year by a massive ten hours, 2013 could be the year for this little power house.

“My dream is to represent my Country as a professional Mountain Bike Rider. I want to be National Champion and also I have a dream to compete internationally in the Asian Championships and beyond. I strive to be the best I can be in Mountain Biking.”

Aayman is an amazing kid, overcoming my obstacles in his life and a very poor background to stand up, change his life and become a charismatic, fun loving mountain bike guide and rider with the potential to be a true champion in the future. He left school, turned down many jobs and now works for Himalayan Single Track where he is a leading member of the team.

Roan Tamang -   Sponsored 50% by Team Kiwi  (a collective sponsorship from the New Zealand contingency of Yak Attack 2013), and 50% Gene Colon and friends

Dhanjit Rai (Santosh) - 50% Sponsored by Yak Attack rider Zoltan Keller (Hungary), and 50% Peter Butt (2012 Yak Attack rider)

"To me it feels like I have been riding a bike since before I could walk, and I could not imagine my life without two wheels!"

Santosh has Nine years experience in Professional Mountain Biking in Nepal and Internationally as a guide and in racing. Santosh has a pure passion for mountain biking and for people in Nepal and is one of the senior riders and supporters of mountain biking in Nepal. From the first moment he picked up a bike, he knew that the trail before him would always involve cycling. He moved from his remote village in East Nepal to Kathmandu and began to ride and then went on to a racing career in Spain and Israel which included wins in 11 top level races. A representative of the Nepal National Cycling team Santosh is always keen and ready to race.

This will be Santosh’s fifth Yak Attack and his skill and personality make it fun for everyone. He is a talented rider in technical and downhill sections, but his true talent is in his heart and his desire to support and develop mountain biking in Nepal and help his fellow riders through Yak Attack.

Mangal Krishna Lama - 50% Sponsored by Yak Attack Medic, Keith Green (UK), 50% Sponsored by Yak Attack rider Jeremy Soawyer(Australia)

Mangal has competed in the last 5 Yak Attacks and has always finished in the top 5. He desperately wants to collect that elusive Yak Attack title in 2013.

Bikash Shrestha - Sponsored by 2012 Yak Attack competitor Per Roslund (Sweden)

Bikash joined Yak Attack in 2012 as a volunteer and spent many hours riding at the back, keeping Per Roslund company. Per was so impressed with Bikash's patience and attitude that he has sponsored him to take part in this years race. Bikash is now working as a guide for HimalayanSingleTrack and in his spare time is training hard for the race.

Laxmi Magar - Sponsored by 2012 and 2013 Yak Attack competitor Neil Cottam (and friends)

Laxmi is currently Nepals only competitive female mountain biker and Yak Attack will be her biggest race to date. We hope Laxmi's determination and enthusiasm for mountain biking will encourage other local female riders to join us in the future.