MORE than 1500 cyclists took on Australia’s most gruelling single-day bike contest ON Sunday.
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The 9th Peaks Challenge covered 235 kilometres, starting and finishing at Falls Creek, with more than 4000 metres of hill climbing inbetween.
A Sydney rider, Daniel Bonello who has competed overseas, won the event in a time just short of 7 hours and 21 minutes.
The 31 year-old told Cycling-Inform on Twitter that the last nine kilometres provided strong headwinds.
“Other than that you can’t really ask for better conditions, it was absolutely beautiful out there,” Bonello said.
The field of riders set off at 6.45am with the course travelling through Mount Beauty, Tawonga Gap, Harrietville, Mount Hotham and Omeo before returning to Falls Creek.
In addition to Australians, riders came from Norway, Britain, the US, United Arab Emirates, Singapore and New Zealand with the majority needing more than 10 hours to finish.