Three Rourkela youths, who recently participated and successfully completed the prestigious london-Edinburg -london (lEl) cycling challenge, were given a rousing reception at Rourkela station, on their return from london, here on Tuesday.
Significantly, a rally covering a distance of 1,441 km, is stated to be the longest and toughest cycling challenge of the world, organised for the armatures.
According to sources, as many as 1,500 participants from about 65 countries of the globe participated in the high profile cycling challenge for armatures, mainly for the endurance of the riders. The participants were asked to cover the distance maximum within 117 hours and from total participants, about 950 participants had covered the distance within 117 hours, who were given a medal and a citation, besides their names figuring in the website as the winners. About 60 participants were from India out of which only ten participants covered the distance within 117 hours.
At least four armature cyclists of Rourkela participated in the prestigious cycling challenge, out of which two completed within stipulated time of 117 hours and another completed the distance, but took one hour extra. Bisen Singh (32), Kusal Agarwal (31), Abhisek Bansal (35) and Rakesh Agarwal (41), four Rourkelites, all members of Rourkela Riders, an armature cycling group of the city, flew to london to participate in lEl cycling challenge. Bisen Singh and Kusal Agarwal completed the distance within 116 hours, where as Abhisek Bansal completed the rally in 118 hours, where as Rakesh Agarwal withdrew himself, after cycling about 800 km.
On Thursday, they were given a rousing reception at the Rourkela station, after they arrived from london. Members of various organisations of the city like the Rotary Club of Rourkela Royal, Haryana Nagarik Sangha, Marwari Yuba Manch, Youth Hostel Association of India, Rajastan Parisada, Maharaja Agrasen Seba Sangha and Rourkela Sports Association welcomed these cyclists with flower bouquet.