Sikkim, Mar 10: The first Khanchendzonga Mountain Biking Expedition 2008 is being organised in Sikkim to lend a fillip to adventure tourism in the state.

The ten-day mountaineering expedition was flagged off by Tourism Minister R B Subba and will continue till March 13.

About 60 adventure cyclists participated in the breathtaking 600 km long sojourn dubbed as the first international event, in order to indicate their endurance levels at varying altitudes in the state.

Three women from Chandigarh and one from United States are also participating in the event.

"It's tough, but I like adventures. That's why I am participating in adventure sports. It's too tough as it is a nine-day race and Sikkim is at a very high altitude. But, I hope that I'll be able to manage a fine performance," said Kulbir Kaur, a female participant from Chandigarh.

The exhilarating expedition is being organized by the Tourism Department and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism will cover all four districts of the state and carries a prize money of 25,000 dollars.

Cyclists from all over the country and a few from abroad along with cyclists from the army are participating in the expedition.

"Well anything to do with mountain biking is wonderful. I invite you to ride the bike as well. We are looking forward to this adventurous journey. We have heard about it, read about it and now it's the time to experience it," said DK Singh, the oldest participant from Delhi.

Global Positioning System (GPS) trackers will be aiding the participants since most of them are not from the state and not quite familiar with the Himalayan terrain.

The main objective of the event is to promote Sikkim as a tourist destination for adventure sports by encouraging the eco-friendly sport of Mountain Biking.

The expedition will also see the cyclists ride through unexplored interiors, single track and village back roads. (ANI)