After spending up to 22 hours a day on his bike, Queensland's Allan Jefferson claimed victory in the gruelling 5,000 kilometre Race Across America — but it was no smooth ride.
When 54-year-old Allan Jefferson signed up for the Race Across America — billed as the "world's toughest bicycle race" – he never expected to win.Allan Jefferson is the second Australian man to winThe rescue helicopter crewman from North Queensland rode almost non-stop for 5,000 kilometres to cross the finish line after 10 days and 15 minutes.Jefferson arrived home in Townsville on Thursday, receiving a hero's welcome from a legion of supporters who followed his race online.
Jefferson is the second Australian man in the race's history to win the overall solo category.Self-doubt and saddle sores"He was on the bike for those first couple of days for 22 hours a day and that put us into a great position for later in the race," Huppatz said.Jefferson squeezes in a much-needed nap between gruelling stints on his bike.
"His derriere took a bit of a beating from sitting on the bike for that extended period, so we were taking him off every couple of hours to dress some wounds," Huppatz said."The self-doubt and the denial and the delusions that he had … it was really tough at some stages."A 'remarkable' comeback Jefferson was determined to make it to the finish line after he was forced to withdraw from the race in 2019 due to health issues.But it wasn't until day seven that the crew realised the 54-year-old was in with a shot of a podium finish.The Race Across America attracts cyclists from around the world, who compete as individuals or in relay teams.
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