CYCLISTS braved freezing conditions which dipped below negative double figures in their bid to conquer the Strathpuffer 2025 challenge at Contin Forest.
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.
Over 700 riders faced up to temperatures which fell as low as -12 on Saturday morning to take part in the 24-hour cycling endurance race.
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.
Cyclists started the challenge at 10am on Saturday and are attempting to cycle as many laps of the 12.5km course at Contin Forest within 24 hours which is covered in ice and snow. Riders will be allowed to starts laps until 10am on Sunday and must complete it by 11am for it to count. The winners will be revealed soon after.
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.
As with last year, Strathpuffer 2025 will also host the British 24-hour endurance cycling championships with a top field from across the UK set to take part.
As well as solo competitions, there are also pairs, quads and schools competitions taking place.
Marc Peart, one of the organisers at Strathpuffer, says hosting the British Championship adds to the prestige of the competition which has already gained a reputation for being one of the toughest cycling challenges on the planet.
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.
He says with such a competitive field taking part, it promises to be an outstanding weekend of endurance cycling.
Strathpuffer 2025. . Picture: Callum Mackay.
He said: ”The solo competitions are part of the national championships, the winning male and female this weekend will be British champions.
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.
“It is a really competitive field in both male solo and female solo competition. It is really good from the participation point of view.
“Competitively it will be really good this year.”
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.
Last year, Dingwall cyclist Martin Ross was crowned men’s champion.
Sofia Christansen from Newton Stewart was crowned the women’s champion.
This year for the first time, the women’s champion will receive the Gillian Stewart Memorial Award.
Despite temperatures falling below -12, Peart says that will not be a problem for the cyclists saying the weather will make it excellent conditions for riding this weekend.
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.
“The conditions are looking great this year, it will be cold all the way through.
The last forecast I looked at suggests it gets warmer on Sunday morning. But the course will be well frozen.
“By the time we are finished, it won’t have gone above freezing for the whole of the event.”
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.
The event is being organised with cooperation from Forestry Land Scotland and landowners. Despite some alterations to the course, Peart says it will make for a exciting race.
He said: “All of the partners we worked with are super helpful. We have been working with these guys for a long time now. The course is looking exciting, we had a bridge which was referred to as the Bridge of Thighs, which was a landmark. That had been in place since the start but it has been removed and we had a culvert built to replace it.
“The course is riding really well and as it gets more frozen it will ride better and better.”
Strathpuffer 2025. Picture: Callum Mackay.