Class 2 student 'Rian the Lion' eager to enter 200 km cycling event

Chennai, Aug 30 Rian the lion. This is what the six and a half years old Rian Kumar is called by other cycling enthusiasts on the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) and the East Coast Road (ECR).

Rian, who cycled over 100 km in under five hours setting a record, is waiting for the call to participate in the 200 km BRM (Brevets de Randonneurs Mondiaux), scheduled at Chennai on September 11.

"He is the youngest in the world to apply for a BRM. I have sent the organisors Rian's details and hope that they would allow him as a special entry. He wants join the national team for cycling and participate in the Tour de France," his mother Commander Gauri Mishra, a retired naval officer, told .

Rian had recently set a world record, cycling 108.09 km non-stop in 5 hours and 17 minutes at 20.8 km/hour. The record has been recognised by the World Book of Records, London.

At a time when kids are after junk food - pizza, noodles and others - and play video games, this dal rice, idli and dosa loving boy is hooked to long-distance cycling, running, skating, and painting.

"He likes long distance cycling, home cooked food and outdoor games," his mother told .

Mishra, however, said she is yet to get a geared cycle that suits Rian's height.

"While I have a geared cycle, Rian, standing 138cm tall, pedals a non-geared one. One pedal of my cycle is equal to two in his cycle. I was told retrofitting of gears is not possible in his 16inch Hero MTB (mountain terrain bike)," she said.

Solo or cycling couples are common but the mother and son duo is something rate on the OMR. Mishra started cycling to explore Chennai and Rian followed suit.

"We start out at 3 or 4 a.m. and come back home around 7 a.m. Rian has to attend online classes. He is studying Class 2 in the Sanskriti School," Mishra said.

According to her, on weekdays, they would cycle for about 50 km, and on Sundays, it will be about 100 km.

"I go to sleep at 9 p.m. So, getting up early is not a problem," Rian told .

According to him, he is interested in marathon running, skating, and painting.

On the days, he is not on the roads on his cycle, he practices at home on a static cycle.