Braving extreme heat, storm and rain, two doctors from Maharashtra’s Nasik city have become the first Indians to complete the world’s toughest bicycle race, Race Across America (RAAM).
Brothers Hitendra and Mahendra Mahajan completed RAAM on Monday, becoming the first Indians to do. They cycled around 3,000 miles (4,800 km approximately).
“It is a proud moment for us as we managed to complete the race in our first attempt in the team event category,” Dr. Hitendra Mahajan, 44, told The Hindu on the phone from the U.S.
RAAM is one of the most prestigious and toughest cycle races in the world. Started in 1982 with only four participants, it now attracts sports enthusiasts all around the world. Starting from the West Coast of America, the race ends at the East Coast. Participants cross the Coast Range, Imperial Dunes, Monument Valley and finish in the San Juan Range of SW Colorado.
According to the official website of RAAM, the Indian duo crossed the finish line at Annapolis, Maryaland, after cycling for 8 days, 14 hours and 55 minutes. The brothers qualified for the RAAM through a race held in Pune.
Raising funds for charity was another aim of the doctors. For every 100 km of cycling in RAAM, five cataract surgeries and one corneal transplant will be done by Kalpataru Foundation, an NGO based in Nasik.
