TRAIN TO WIN

Training team India for the 2024 GS Trophy

- ARJUN PARMAR

The BMW GS Trophy, for many, is the mecca of adventure motorcycling anywhere across the world. A global event created with the purpose of celebrating the love of exploring the unknown on two wheels, driven by the ideals of competition, teamwork and camaraderie first piloted in 2008 the Trophy has only grown in stature since then. The first edition in the sands of the Tunisian Desert hosted five teams. These days, over 20 teams participate, including several allfemale teams, vying for the ultimate bragging rights in this one-make competition.

The only eligibility criteria for participation in the bi-annual Trophy is being a BMW GS owner. Each participating nation conducts qualifiers in the gap years between the events and after initial zonal qualifying rounds, the best of the best battle it out for the honour of representing their home nations in the coming year. After national selections have taken place, the teams have about a year to train together to find themselves in the best shape to take on some of the world's finest.

Team India has been participating in the Trophy since the 2018 edition in Mongolia. ADV riding of any sort was still only emerging in India at the time and as a result, the first few editions were a brutal eye-opening experience for the participants, with the team finishing 18th in Mongolia and 19th in the following edition in New Zealand.