KAI Ngebel KOM Boosts Sport Tourism in Madiun and Ponorogo
The Acting Mayor of Madiun, Bagus Panuntun, stated that the KAI Ngebel KOM (King of Mountain) 2026 event, which routes from Madiun City to Lake Ngebel on the slopes of Mount Wilis in Ponorogo Regency, is capable of driving sport tourism in the Madiun and Ponorogo areas. Bagus Panuntun welcomed the selection of Madiun City as the host for this latest event by Mainsepeda. He noted that the presence of hundreds of participants from various regions brings a direct impact to both the economic and tourism sectors along the route.
“Hotels are full, culinary spots are busy, and the community has the opportunity to showcase Madiun’s signature hospitality,” said Bagus during the send-off of hundreds of participants from the front of the KAI Daop 7 Madiun office on Saturday. Bagus admitted to being surprised by the high level of participant interest; while the organisers’ initial target was approximately 300 cyclists, registrations surged to 500 people.
Azrul Ananda, the founder of Mainsepeda, also expressed surprise at the high enthusiasm for this inaugural event. “We did not expect this. Usually, unless it is the Bromo KOM, the number of participants is not this high. But this time, we had 500 participants and even had to close registration due to high demand,” said Azrul. He noted that the high interest shows Indonesian cyclists are always eager to try new routes and expressed appreciation for the Madiun City Government’s support.
The KAI Ngebel KOM 2026 was attended by approximately 500 participants representing 210 communities, 89 cities, 20 provinces, and seven countries, including Australia, China, Colombia, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. This makes KAI Ngebel KOM the largest debut event for Mainsepeda. For comparison, the Bromo KOM, which is one of Indonesia’s most prestigious cycling events, had only about 350 participants in its first edition.
Beyond presenting new challenges for participants, the event serves as an effort by organisers to introduce a new sport tourism destination in western East Java. While previous events like Bromo KOM and Banyuwangi Ijen KOM focused on the eastern part of East Java, KAI Ngebel KOM takes participants through the Pahlawan Street Centre, an iconic area in Madiun City featuring miniatures of global landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, the Kaaba, the Merlion, and the Eiffel Tower. Following a pit stop at UIN Kiai Ageng Muhammad Besari in Ponorogo at the 54.5 km mark, cyclists face a 15-kilometre climb towards Lake Ngebel.