The stipulated time given by the organisers to complete the race was nine days. However, the two brothers finished in a record time. They are the only Indians to complete the race.
The winners of the Race Across America (RAAM), cyclists Mahajan brothers, both doctors, arrived to a grand welcome in their hometown Nashik early on Thursday morning.
The brothers, Dr Hintendra (anaesthetist) and Dr Mahendra (dentist), won the 4,800km cycle racing event, known to be the toughest, in eight days and 14 hours. During this event, they crossed the US from west coast to the east coast.
The stipulated time given by the organisers to complete the race was nine days. However, the two brothers finished in a record time. They are the only Indians to complete the race.
The Mahajan brothers had participated in two-person gents category in which three other teams – two American and one Swiss, had also taken part. These three teams left the race barely completing 1,000km while passing through a desert. The Mahajan brothers braved the weather and unfavourable conditions to not only complete the race but do so in record time.
The race had started on June 20 from the west coast. During their journey, they had to pass through some very difficult situations like very high temperatures, storm and rains, steep climbs, desert route, etc.
"At places the temperature was more than 48 degree Celsius and our crew team had to, in fact, pour water on us to keep us going", recollected Dr Hintendra.
The Indian team comprised the two cyclists and a support team consisting of fellow cyclists and doctors from Nashik, and some Indian doctors from the US.
"The role of our team was also crucial. They not only helped us with our bicycles, oiling and grooming, but also kept our moral high. They motivated us to do our best in the toughest times of the race," Dr Hintendra. The support team handled the logistics and navigation as well.
The Mahajan brothers were supported by Kalpataru Foundation and its founder Dr Sharad Patil, an ophthalmologist, who too is an avid cyclist himself. Kalpataru Foundation runs medical clinics for the tribals in the interiors of Nashik. The team hence participated in the name "Team India: Vision for the Tribals".
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