The spindle! the chainring! the wheels! are gurus that just teach resilience, teach how to rise with each fall. Chimes well with the goosebumps rise of a young cyclist after the long unending night of harassment and molestation by lecherous teacher at school for three long years is now a matchless champion of Tour of Islamabad. Since Gilgit to Khunjrab Pass solo stint by Bisma Chaudhry (preferably known as Basim) there was no turning back and there has been one achievement after the other. Its been few days with clinking of medals and chainring filling her with bliss that she never thought would ever wander off her way. She has risen, the anagram of Basim/Bisma has risen from ashes. While the overall performance in last year’s Tour of Islamabad inspired her to work with more passion, more regimentation and more hope. It would be important to mention Bikestan Cycling Academy that has risen to occasion to catalyze women cycling in Pakistan. From identifying to grooming and enabling participation in national and international events have made them a saviour of women cycling. Joining BCA was truly a gamechanger. Cycling inspired her to work hard alongside a degree in bioinformatics. As luck has it she found herself in midst of COVID-19 response rubbing shoulders with government, donors, researchers and the confused citizens while slaking her urge for data analytics where earning was just enough to get a race worthy cycle and cycling gear.
After strategical start at Monal with elevation gain of 614 m she seemingly had a restless night for Murre climb with an elevation gain of 1,607 m and got an unbelievable lead of 34 minutes which firmly established lead in TOI. Thus stretched 3 minutes lead of Day-1 to an unassailable lead of 34 minutes.
She is now a beacon of hope of teeming millions of young Pakistani women who have unshared, unsaid and unspeakable stories that were forced upon them in one form or the other of humiliation and harassment.
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