Caithness cyclists among 5600 Etape Loch Ness competitors
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Caithness cyclists were among the 5600 people who participated in a monster bike challenge around Loch Ness at the weekend.
The 66-mile Etape Loch Ness, which brought together cyclists from around the country and overseas to ride on closed roads free of other traffic, is expected to raise over £230,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Among those taking part were Wick Wheelers and Caithness Cycling Club members, many competing to beat times set in the previous year's event
The sixth Etape Loch Ness resulted in two new course records being set by both the leading male and female riders – with the top three males, all from Moray Firth Cycle Club, beating the previous fastest time and finishing within four seconds of each other.
The fastest male rider around the course was Lewis Macfarlane in a time of 2:45:56, and the fastest female Alison Leitch of Orkney Cycling Club in 2:55:13.
A special jersey was also awarded to the fastest male and female participants on the King of the Mountain stage – sponsored by The Singleton of Glen Ord – to the top of the Glendoe summit outside of Fort Augustus. The 2018 king, Andy Cunningham, riding for Wheelbase Castelli MGD, retained his crown in a time of 19:05, while Alison Leitch made it up the 4.8-mile climb in 25:59.
Participants were joined by two of Scotland’s most formidable female endurance cyclists – record-breaking round the world cyclist Jenny Graham and Scotland Commonwealth Games mountain biker Lee Craigie.
The first riders set off at 6.15am from Bught Park in Inverness, passing through Drumnadrochit, Invermoriston, Fort Augustus and Dores before finishing at the event hub at Eden Court.
