Vadodara: Three cyclists from The Cycling Club of Baroda (TCCB) have completed the ninth edition of the prestigious NorthCape4000, one of the world’s toughest self-supported ultra-distance cycling challenges, covering nearly 4,000 kilometres across eight European nations in just 20 days.Parthiv Patel, Prachi Patil and Kamalkant Saxena began their journey from Rovereto in Italy on July 25 and crossed the finish line within the stipulated 20-day cut-off, putting Vadodara on the international ultra-distance cycling map.The gruelling route featured nearly 30,000 metres of cumulative elevation gain and took the cyclists through Italy, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Finland and Norway, before reaching the Arctic region.The challenge was particularly demanding as the cyclists had to ride without a support vehicle or external assistance. Thry were responsible for navigating the route, arranging their own food and accommodation, and carrying out bike repairs whenever required.Along the way, the trio encountered sharply contrasting conditions, including steep mountain climbs, relentless rain and freezing Arctic winds. Long hours on the road and severe sleep deprivation tested their physical endurance and mental resilience.More than 500 cyclists from across the world participated in the event, including only nine riders from India.
