A huge well done to everyone who rode in the latest Cyclone24 Wales challenge. We hope you’re wearing your medal with pride and that you had as great a time as we did, and have managed to get a few hours sleep in before heading back to work!

This year saw 120 cyclists push their minds, bodies and spirits to the limit to complete the 3rd annual Cyclone24 Wales challenge on Sunday at the Wales National Velodrome, Newport, and with that, a new challenge record was set.

The teams got off to a great start, with some setting off at a great pace. But could it be sustained?

At 8 hours in there was some friendly competition going between teams, with riders from Hodge and Zurich both covering 1108 laps and the team from Wenvoe Wheelers and team Half & Half both on 1162, but the lead team at 8 hours was Kilsby Williams, who had covered 1330 laps.

Over the next few hours the distance board changed a fair bit, but Kilsby Williams remained out in front, closely followed by teams from the Patternistas, event sponsor Stills, Willmott Dixon and team Nai.

The pace slowed a little through the night, but the cycling continued, with team members getting maybe an hour or two of shut eye in between stints out on track.

With just 3 hours to go teams were remaining positive and adrenaline was seeing them through to completing the challenge (or was it the various deliveries of McDonalds breakfasts).

With 41 minutes left on the countdown clock the team from Kilsby Williams smashed through the challenge record of 3676 laps, previously held by a team from road.cc, which only went on to motivate them further, there was no give in their pace!

Final figures of our Wales challenge saw teams amass 67,052 velodrome laps, an outstanding 16,780 kilometres.

And, of course, that all important new challenge record, set by the team from Newport based Kilsby Williams, who covered 3792 laps.

Congratulations to all who took part in the challenge, and huge thanks to our event sponsor Stills Branding, and to our event support partners Bello Cyclist, Cardiff & Vale College and Agile Therapy.

We look forward to seeing you on the boards again soon. And if you’re really keen our next challenge takes place at Derby Arena on 3rd – 4th February 2018.