On Friday, I joined in with 3,399 other cyclists to take part in the Challenge Tour from Mannum to Strathalbyn. It's a chance to ride one of the same legs that the Pros do in the Tour Down Under race (though at a considerably slower pace!)

As in 2007, I rode with the "Mud, Sweat and Gears" team. This time we managed all meet up at the end and get some group photos.

And they're off. The Skoda Breakaway Tour begins at Mannum. Picture: DEAN MARTINI rode with my Dad, and we completed the 134km ride in about 6 hours (about the same as last year). However, unlike last year we did manage to ride under the finishing arch this time!

I think Dad's regular Saturday morning rides with the other guys from the team paid off, as I found unless we were coasting downhill that I was having to chase him most of the time.

It did get pretty warm towards the end of the ride (33°C with not much breeze) and I was a bit dehydrated after the race.

We did get to watch the Pros come into Strathalbyn, and saw the unfortuntate incident of Matthew Hayman getting head-butted off of his bike in the final 300 metre sprint to the finish. He's had surgery and should be back on his bike in a week - wow.

AdelaideNow have some more photos of the event, and if that's not enough, the team organiser Gavin (who just happens to run In The Picture Productions) has posted some video onto YouTube.

Yes, that's me peddling madly at around 1:16 :-)