The fourth edition of the 2018 Pelayo Vida Annapurna Bike Challenge against cancer aims to spread the word about the benefits of cycling as a form of physical exercise at a great altitude (4,300 metres) in the deep Annapurna Valley, located in the Nepalese Himalayas. Annapurna, which means “goddess of crops” or “goddess of abundance” in Sanskrit, is the setting for this new challenge.

Mountain biking almost 300 kilometres along the Annapurna Valley, the tenth highest mountain on Earth, located in the Nepalese Himalayas, is this year’s great challenge. Five brave women cancer survivors will cycle the distance between the towns of Tatopani and Lo Manthang, the capital of the forbidden Kingdom of Mustang, a place that was closed to foreigners until 1992. The whole massif and surrounding areas are protected within a 7,629-square kilometre nature reserve known as the Annapurna Valley, the largest national park in Nepal. The conservation area features many hiking routes, including the Annapurna Circuit and its different ascent routes. The different peaks that make up the Annapurna massif are among the most dangerous mountains to climb on Earth, such as Nanga Parbat or K2.