Pune woman cycles 430 km to set new world record
You may have dreamt of riding your motorbike from Manali to Leh, but this woman from Pune wanted to enjoy the ride on her cycle. Preeti Maske, a mother of two, is the first woman to cycle alone from Leh to Manali in 55 hours and 13 minutes. As per officials, the 45-year-old has met the requirements of the Guinness World Records.
Details of Maske's ride from Leh to Manali
Leh's Border Roads Organization's Chief Engineer, Brigadier Gaurav Karki, had flagged off Maske at 6 am on June 22. On June 24, at 1:13 pm, Preeti reached Manali in the presence of Col. Shabarish Vachali, Commander, BRO. Maske was given 60 hours by Guinness World Records to complete the challenge, and she covered the whopping 430-kilometer journey before time.
Maske started cycling at the age of 40
Maske started cycling at the age of 40 and firmly believes that age is just a number and not a barrier to pursuing one's goals. She continued her journey even though she had to stop twice to take oxygen due to breathlessness. "The ultra-cycling effort in High Altitude terrain with reduced Oxygen availability speaks volumes of her tenacity and determination," wrote BRO on Twitter.
'Preeti had to cycle in harsh, varying climate'
According to experts, the route with an elevation of 8,000 meters is tough. Anand Kansal, Maske's crew member told Network 18, "Preeti had to cycle in harsh, varying climate on all the high altitude passes, fighting the heat, strong head winds, snowfall, and freezing temperatures." The organization shared a video of her journey on Twitter, proud to be associated with her expedition.
Guinness World Record
Maske is the fastest woman cyclist on the Golden Quadrilateral
Previously, Maske achieved the title of the fastest woman cyclist on the Golden Quadrilateral, by covering a distance of 6,000 kilometers in 24 days and six hours. The Guinness Book of World Records set a time limit of 30 days for the competitive cyclist for this challenge, and she outdid it as well. Maske shared a photo dedicating the ride to BRO on Instagram.
