India, Jan. 16 -- Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on Thursday named ambassador of the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour,

India's first international multi-stage professional road cycling race, scheduled to be held in Pune from January 19 to 23.

The five-day 'Continental Road Cycling Race for Men' will wind through a 437-km route across the Deccan Plateau and Sahyadri Range, featuring sharp bends and challenging elevations.

The event has attracted 171 riders from 29 teams across 35 countries.

Dhoni, who has been named the event's goodwill ambassador, said the race would open new avenues for cycling in the country and wished the Indian team luck.

"With the emergence of the Pune Grand Tour, India is peddling into a new chapter in cycl...