By Rob Clegg.

I’ve just finished a book all about the riders who finish last in the Tour de France. Their stories of perseverance feel surprisingly apt for this year’s challenge — but more on that later.

New Year’s Day feels like only yesterday, yet for 36 riders it marked the starting klaxon for an ambitious test: to cover 3,780.2 km, skirting the Gulf of Mexico and finishing in Mexico City. Riders could take it on solo or as part of a team. Each team member set a challenging weekly distance target which, if everyone hit it, would see them complete the route within three months. Progress could be tracked on the map individually and as a team, and I shared weekly updates on who hit their mileage. Consecutive weeks above target earned recognition, and I added a series of milestones along the route which — depending on your temperament — either amused or mildly tormented you.

3,780.2 km – skirting the Gulf of Mexico!

This year played out very differently to last. Many participants proved either wildly optimistic in their target setting, shamelessly competitive, or simply very motivated by the challenge. Realistically, it was a bit of all three. The result was a fast start: teams surged ahead and, unlike last year, finished with weeks to spare.

Of course, the purest way to take on the challenge is solo — and despite the strength of our teams, this year’s winner was an individual. Dan Simkins, take a bow: 40 days. That’s 94 km per day while juggling work and family life. I’m not sure that record will fall any time soon. Our longest streak this year was 12 weeks — a brilliant marker of consistency and ambition. Finish early and the streak ends, so it’s a genuine achievement.

But the story isn’t over. We still have one team on the road, and Dean — our other solo rider — is pacing himself perfectly to finish right on the final day. This is his second consecutive solo effort, and apparently his real world fitness is now causing problems for a member of a prestigious racing team. Our final team on the road, and this year’s Lantern Rouge, will either be Dean or our final Team Mathieu van der Poel.

A key message from the book is that holding the Lantern Rouge means you are still a finisher — and finishing the Tour is an extraordinary achievement reserved for very few. Our Winter Challenge isn’t the Tour, of course, but if you set genuinely tough targets, there’s always the risk you won’t make it, especially when life throws in the unexpected. I hope they get there — it’s going to be tight — so if you see Andrew Giller, Cliff Baker or Stewart Forbes out on the road, give them a shout of encouragement.

I’ve heard from many of you that the challenge has been motivating, helping you feel fitter, stronger, and ready to enjoy the recent sunshine. The virtual nature means I don’t get to see the moments when the last thing you want to do is stare at the garage wall again or head out into the cold and wet — but you still do it, whether to climb above a rival on the leader board or push your team past the next marker. You know who you are.

Thank you to everyone who took part. I love seeing clusters of teams all close to the marker — that’s the sweet spot for motivation — but ultimately, it’s your challenge, and I hope you enjoyed it.

We’ll be back next year, heading further south into South America!