The event was a difficult one for many of the contestants, as one rider hit a kangaroo on the ride (though neither were badly injured), and many others were forced to contend with fog, debris on roads and potholes to complete the tough course.

The cycling event, which hosted over 1000 riders, offered a long course 170km ride that started from the Moulder Park velodrome in Orange.

Two daring Mudgee riders, Peter Leal and Geoff Bennett, have been in training for the event for months, and were looking forward to the long course.

Both clocked in at a pacey 30kph average, and the race finished with Leal at 5 hours and 38 minutes, while Bennett was just five minutes slower.

The duo have been training on endurance rides between Mudgee, Rylstone and Hill End, and had plenty of careful planning under their belts as they closed out the sub-six hour journey.

Mudgee also had four cyclists compete in the supported 70km event – Coleen Leal, Rachael Hart, Nick Collings and Susan Collings.

Local riders now focus their training schedules in on the B2B Cycling Festival on April 2 in Bathurst, with competitors given a choice of 110km or 70km races next month.