Huw Oliver came in as runner-up in the solo category in this year’s Strathpuffer 24hr mountain bike race at Contin, near Inverness, Scotland, as he was faced with freezing temperatures and 17 hours of darkness.
Oliver completed 30 laps of a rocky, technical course to total 300km of cycling, which put him just 25 minutes behind the eventual winner, Keith Forsyth, of Innerleithen.
The event, now in its 12th year, has gained a great reputation and attracts hundreds of riders throughout the UK who gather to tackle the tough conditions in either solo, pairs or quads teams.
In previous years, torrential rain and deep snow have added to the challenge, but the weather was kinder during the day. However, once darkness fell, so too did the temperature and it reached -8C.
As the ground became rock solid, riders were faced with new patches of black ice and there were several casualties as a result.
Oliver relied on flasks of tea and homemade pies to get him through the night during pit stops, and he pulled back positions from fourth on the final day.
Oliver’s partner Annie Lloyd-Evans also impressed as she completed 23 laps to finish second in the female solo category.
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