Pedal-powered competitor finishes Yukon Quest sled dog race in Whitehorse

WHITEHORSE – He’s not an official part of the 33rd annual Yukon Quest sled dog race, but a bicyclist has set a new record along the frigid and exhausting course between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Whitehorse, Yukon.

Fairbanks resident Jeff Oatley has completed the 1,600-kilometre race on his fat bike, a specialized bicycle with up to 12-centimetre wide tires, allowing it to float across soft surfaces such as snow.

Oatley pedalled the exact course followed by the dog teams and crossed the finish line in Whitehorse on Monday afternoon, just behind the second-place musher.

Oatley set out a week before the Yukon Quest began, taking 16 days on the trail, compared to the nine days musher Hugh Neff and his dog team needed to win the 2016 race.

Oatley’s most dangerous situation likely occurred in Dawson City when Canada Border Services officials threatened to deport him for incorrect paperwork, but eventually allowed him to cycle on.

He says isolation on the trail was also a challenge and he never plans to do the Yukon Quest again. (CKRW)