INTREPID cyclists have conquered a formidable marathon riding 2,735 miles from Canada to Mexico.
Three injured war heroes battled the tortuous off pavement mountain bike route climbing almost 200,000 feet of accumulated ascent along the way.
What makes their achievement all the more remarkable is that they have all survived life changing injuries whilst fighting for their country.
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They are the first disabled team to complete this epic journey described as the ‘most challenging mountain bike time trial on the planet’.
Wounded soldier Martin Hewitt, from Wilmslow, left paralysed after being shot in the arm, led the tortuous journey.
Stephan van Niekerk sustained life changing injuries after stepping on an explosive device while serving with the Rifles regiment.
The explosion resulted in the loss of both legs, some fingers and other parts.
James Hill was shot by machine gun fire five times in the leg and once in the helmet, leaving his leg paralysed below the knee.
Martin said: “It was very hard, all three of us have disabilities.
“Stephan is a double amputee and James was shot five times below the waist.
“It was 39 days consecutively riding, a long time in the saddle.”
Martin has led expeditions on every continent of the globe but this was his first arduous bike ride with the use of only one arm.
After serving for eight years with the Parachute Regiment, the former captain was injured in 2007 in Afghanistan whilst leading his men in combat.
He underwent two emergency operations to save his life after a bullet severed nerves in his arm.
The former ski instructor had 13 operations and, though the injury ended his army career, it fuelled his quest for adventure.
He now leads disabled veterans on expeditions across the world and has achieved countless new records.
He led the first disabled team in history to scale the highest mountain on each of the seven continents and walk unsupported to the North and South Pole.
Martin said: “I joined the army because I wanted challenge.
“I have led over 30 expeditions now.
“It’s incredible what disabled people can achieve.”
He was bowled over by the strength and resilience of his team on their latest gargantuan feat.
“I have a lot of pride in the boys,” said Martin.
“For me, the terrain was the most difficult, over 94 per cent was on gravel.
“Trying to control a bike with one hand, climbing over lots of rocks, ruts and mud was difficult.
“My hand kept falling off every time I hit something as I can’t grip.”
The riders also had to tackle extreme temperatures.
“The coldest was in Alberta with snow and minus 12 degrees,” said Martin.
“The hottest was 45 degrees in new Mexico.”
Every night they slept in a small camper van, driven by two injured veterans as support crew, but there was no time to relax.
“We had to sort the bikes out, get the mud off, oiled and chained and make sure they were working properly for the next day,” said Martin.
“In expeditions, it’s all about trying to survive in the environment.
“Long endeavours need resilience, physical and psychological.
“Over 4,000km we had to climb more than 200,000 feet.”
Accomplishing such incredible feats is the goal of the AGS Foundation, a charitable grant-making body Martin founded to help fund expeditions.
This expedition raised more than £2,000.
Martin said: “When you get a major life-changing injury, lose your career, your whole working professional environment and social network, it’s easy to feel sorry for yourself.
“I didn’t want that to happen.
“Now it’s about getting disabled veterans active, to try and push the boundaries.
“You are humbled by what they can achieve.”
To donate visit wonderful.org/fundraisers/R6WK1
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