Indian riders hail SL trip

Bangalore’s Aravind KP, who became the first Indian rider to win a motocross championship abroad, said he was a prouder, better rider after his experience racing in Sri Lanka.

The Team TVS Racing ace added that he was overjoyed to have finished on top of the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders (SLARDAR) championship 2011.

Bangalore boy Aravind, who fought off 21 riders, including teammates Santosh CS, HK Pradeep and 2010 UAM Asian champion from Japan Tomoya Suzuki for the title, won himself a fully-paid trip to watch the Dakar rally later this year. The TVS team participated in the Group MX for motocross bikes (125cc — 2T and up to 250cc — 4T). “It was a tremendous experience riding in Sri Lanka,” Aravind told TOI.