Four months of training, five countries, five currencies, 2,000km, 10 days, two injuries. It's hard to believe it's over - but 15.5 hours after they got up this morning in Narva, the first cyclists reached the finish line for the Actavis Lifecycle 2013 Challenge, raising well over €130,000 for the Renal Unit.

The day was a logistical disaster and it took over six hours to get across the border into Russia.

This threw out all the plans made months ago, with route having to be shortened so they would finish by sunset. By the time they arrived at the line, the team were all emotional, with the couples holding each other and the test hugging each other, torn between the elation of completing the challenge - within the time limit - and the knowledge that this unique challenge is over.

Even the two cyclists who were forced to drop out because of injuries got back onto their bikes for the last stretch, making the finish a true team event...

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Kenneth Borg's children have new heroes: the team that finished the Actavis Lifecycle challenge. The St Petersburg resident and his wife brought their children to Palace Square, in front of the stunning Hermitage Palace, to await their arrival.

But the six-hour wait at the border disrupted the programme and they did not get there till midnight. But the children insisted on staying up and posed for photos withe team... They were also greeted by Honorary Consul Igor Onokov.

Having escorted the vehicles for hours from the finish point, the back-up team abandoned their vehicles and ran whooping across the enormous square to celebrate, and it was only thanks to some quick talking that the police were persuaded not to tow them...

The team returns to Malta on Sunday at 11.50am.

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