Pune Grand Tour Stage 3 Begins in Saswad with Ajit Pawar, Huge Public Turnout
Saswad, 22nd January 2026: The third stage of the international cycling event ‘Bajaj Pune Grand Tour’ was flagged off with great enthusiasm and public participation at the Saswad Municipal Council premises in the presence of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
The atmosphere was charged with patriotic and cultural fervour as chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, “Jai Bhavani Jai Shivaji” and “Ganpati Bappa Morya” echoed across the venue.
School students dressed in Shivaji-era attire presented a tableau of the Shivrajyabhishek, adding a strong cultural flavour to the event. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar flagged off the stage and personally interacted with the cyclists, wishing them luck for the race ahead.
The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar, MLA Vijay Shivtare, former MLA Sanjay Jagtap, Saswad Municipal Council President Anandi Jagtap, Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, Maharashtra Olympic Association Secretary Sanjay Shete and other dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion, Ajit Pawar said Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and the entire Pune district have always given priority to sports. “Without enthusiastic public support, athletes cannot draw inspiration. The planning for this race is excellent and the routes are of high quality. The encouragement from citizens standing along the roadsides is giving special energy to the cyclists,” he said.
He added that the successful organisation of the event was made possible with the support of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. “The Central Government, State Government and the Pune district administration are working together, with active participation from companies like Bajaj and Serum Institute and various sports bodies,” Pawar said, congratulating the people of Saswad for their enthusiastic response.
The third stage of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour covered a distance of 137.7 km. It started from Saswad and passed through Supe, Panwadi Ghat, Kaladari (Bori Phata), Mandhar, Mahur, Parinche, Harni, Walhe, Pisurti, Neera, Brahmandhara, Murti, Morgaon, Tardoli, Jalgaon K.P., Karhavaghaj, Khandobanagar, Pimplai, Limtek, Kanheri, Rui Road, Sawal, Vanjarwadi and concluded at Vidya Pratishthan College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Baramati.
Across every village on the route, residents lined the roadsides, cheering with applause, whistles, slogans and traditional instruments. Roads were decorated, and ‘Pune Grand Tour’ cut-outs were placed at major junctions, creating a festive atmosphere throughout the stretch.
