THIMPHU, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Pelden Wangchuk, 20, became the youngest to win 268 km mountain bike racing "Tour of the Dragon" in Bhutan on Saturday.
He completed the race in ten hours, forty-five minutes and 53 seconds, as per the official record. Tom Schofield, an American citizen came first runner up, completing the race in ten hours, fifty-one minutes and 28 seconds.
A total of 48 including five females, both local and international participants took part in the daylong cycling race. The race took off at 2 am from central district of Bumthang, and finishes at Thimphu.
It takes participants to cross four high elevation mountains and varying climatic conditions to complete the race, and reach the finish line in Thimphu.
"Tour of the Dragon" is one of the toughest one-day mountain bike races in the world. This race completes 10 editions.
Bhutan's Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, who is brother of Bhutan's King Jigme, and chairman of Bhutan Olympics Committee, initiated the event in 2009.
In 2018, an American national Aaron Bayard won the race completing in eleven hours, eleven minutes and 42 seconds.
While, Pelden Wangchuk has broken Aaron Bayard's record, he could not break Ajay Pandit Chettri's 2014 record of ten hours, forty-two minutes and 49 seconds.
The Tour of the Dragon is organised by Bhutan Olympic Committee.
