Longest Ultra-Distance Cycling Race in the World Reaches Finishing Line (PHOTO)

The longest multiday ultramarathon cycling race in the world, the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme, finally reached its conclusion in the Russian city of Vladivostok on July 28.

The race, held in both solo and duo categories, started at the Teatralnaya Square in Moscow, July 5, 2016.

(L-R) Eduard Fuchs from Austria, Roman Markaryan from Russia, Mikhail Manyakhin from Russia, Aleksej Shchebelin from Russia, Matthias Fischer from Germany, Martin Temmen from Germany perform after the 14th stage Vladivostok at the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme race in Russia on July 28th, 2016

© Photo : Denis Klero/redbull content pool

The contestants had to traverse a total of 9,117 kilometers, split into 14 stages ranging from 314 to 1,372 kilometers, across 5 climatic and 7 time zones of Russia along the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway.

(L-R) Martin Temmen from Germany, Matthias Fischer from Germany and Mikhail Manyakhin from Russia cross the finish line during the 14th stage Vladivostok at the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme race in Russia on July 28th, 2016.

© Photo : Denis Klero/redbull content pool

This year, none of the six athletes competing in the solo category managed to complete the entire track, as the 12th stage proved to be too much even to the three cyclists who managed to reach it — Russia's Alex Shchebelin, Austria's Eduard Fuchs and Marcelo Florentino Soares of Brazil – due to extreme weather conditions.

(L-R) Eduard Fuchs from Austria and Aleksej Shchebelin from Russia race during the 14th stage Khabarovsk-Vladivostok at the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme race in Russia on July 27th, 2016

© Photo : Pavel Sukhorukov/redbull content pool

 

And while none of the solo cyclists could claim that he conquered the whole distance, Shchebelin ended up showing the best result among the soloists by the time they reached the finishing line.

Marcelo Florentino Soares from Brasil cannot hold his emotions after the 14th stage Vladivostok at the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme race in Russia on July 28th, 2016

© Photo : Denis Klero/redbull content pool

The cycling duos fared better. Both teams that took part in the race – Germany’s Matthias Fisher and Martin Temmen and Russia’s Mikhail Manyakhin and Roman Markaryan – managed to complete all stages of the race, though in the end the German cyclists proved to be stronger than their Russian counterparts.

(L-R) Matthias Fischer and Martin Temmen from Germany pose for a portrait after the 14th stage Khabarovsk-Vladivostok at the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme race in Russia on July 28th, 2016

© Photo : Pavel Sukhorukov/redbull content pool

Matthias Fischer from Germany takes relay race from Martin Temmen from Germany during the 14th stage Khabarovsk-Vladivostok at the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme race in Russia on July 27th, 2016

© Photo : Pavel Sukhorukov/redbull content pool

Be as it may, one thing is for certain – all of the cyclists who took part in the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme 2016 and managed to reach the finishing line have accomplished a feat that few people in the world are capable of.

(L-R) Roman Markaryan from Russia, Mikhail Manyakhin from Russia, Martin Temmen from Germany and Matthias Fischer from Germany pose for a portrait after the 14th stage Khabarovsk-Vladivostok at the Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme race in Russia on July 28th, 2016

© Photo : Pavel Sukhorukov/redbull content pool