Greats lead the bunch at Three Peaks Challenge
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The sun was still hiding and it was 4.00 in the morning on July 31 at the cyclists’ Cafe Spinner in Battaramulla. The city was still asleep on holiday mode – being a long holiday, but at Spinner, the excitement was palpable in the air. The thrilling climb over the three scenic mountains – Ginigathena, Hatton, and Radella was officially scheduled to begin from Kitulgala a few hours later. But the ever-enthusiastic WrooM riders had decided to push the game a notch higher by beginning their ride from Madiwela, which would require them to ride an extra 80 kilometres as a warm up, before the grueling climb began. Thirty minutes later, at 4.30am, the WrooM riders were on their way to the starting point; their penchant for adventure escalating with every pedal.
Yasas Hewage, the founder of the WrooM Group speaking about the ‘Three Peak Challenge’, what the greatest cycling challenge is known as, stated that this is probably one of the most challenging and exciting climbs in the world. And the fact that the route spanned across dynamic, picturesque landscapes, was a welcome treat to the riders, he added.
Officially, the challenge commenced from Kitulgala at 8.30am with 30 riders, 35 support crew members as backup, and three peaks to ascend. From the starting point, Ginigathena, Hatton and Radella are respectively 15, 40 and 55 kilometres away. It is definitely noteworthy, that the 3063-metre climb, up to Radella Falls into HC (Hors category) climb in the Tour de France ranking.
Translated, this literally means beyond categorisation, or an incredibly difficult climb. This sure made the Three Peak Challenge a daunting task uphill, but the riders took it in strike (or ride), and at the finish line, just knowing that they had pushed their very limits long enough to reach there, made the effort both rewarding and gratifying. The name of the game was endurance, and not only was the ride soaring, but their spirits did too.
The riders had the option of either completing the challenge at their own pace, or competing for a podium position. Veteran participants were Lesley Rupasinghe, J.L. Dullawa, S.M.D. Chithrasena, A.F. Jayalath and Pradeep Chandana Silva. Elite riders from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and Ports Authority included Gihan Pushpakumara, Thushan Rajapaksha, Janaka Hematha Kumara, Nihal Silva, Suranga Ranaweera, Buddhika Warnakulasuriya, Nidush Nirantha, Sudeera Nilanga, Upul Lokuge and Wiran Ramesh. Yasas Hewage, Ajith Fernando, Jehan Bastians, Lilantha Wijayapala, Suren Abeysuriya, Milanka Induruwage, Dushmantha Jayasinghe, Shehan C, Gihan Hemachandra, Aneesha Iddawala, Shehan were the WrooM cyclists who participated.
The challenge ended with Buddhika Warnakulasuriya competing from the Air Force Elite Riders’ crew, winning the ascend and securing the championship for the Three Peaks Challenge in a record time of 2 hours and 39 minutes. Though the climb was Herculean, he clocked an average of 26 kilometres per hour. Subsequently, the first ten riders completed the challenge within a minute since the champion’s arrival at the checkered flag. Yasas Hewage clocked competitive 3 hours and 40 minutes behind the elite riders underlining the potential of amateur athletes.
The Three Peak Challenge was sponsored by Land Rover, Dell and Spinner, and was partnered by Hemas Hospital. While sponsors bore the cost of the national riders, the proceeds were contributed towards the support of Blinking Bikes Road Safety Programme for school children in the Central Province. With the completion of this arduous challenge, not only did WrooM reach a new milestone, but also stamped its name in the grueling game of endurance. Three Peaks Climbing Challenge is planned to be held as an annual event with a dream of building a Sri Lankan cyclist capable of competing at a global level.