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It was a record-breaking day in the 5th Annual Southern Lakes Bike Loppet this past Saturday.

Stephen Ball set a new standard, completing the 173-kilometre race in four hours, 53 minutes and 54 seconds on a revised course.

Ian Parker held the previous mark, set in 2008 with a time of 4:48 on the now defunct route.

Ball's record pace was achieved on a slower course that weaves through the Judas Creek Subdivision. The previous route stayed on the highway and Ball is the first to complete the new course in less than five hours.

Twenty-eight teams and 78 riders took part in the five-stage race, which featured riders ranging in age from 13 to 77.

Cyclists competed in solo, two-person or three to five person team categories.

Leading the way on the women's side was Kerrie Paterson who posted a time of 5:46:52 in the solo division.

Paterson is a mainstay on the local cycling circuit having twice captured the title in the solo women's division in the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay (KCIBR) and also won the Whitehorse Triathlon women's Olympic division this past June.

Ball placed second in the KCIBR in June, crossing the finish line less than a minute behind Brett Boniface of Langley, B.C.

Ball, who hails from New Zealand and used to ride with the national team, has been on the podium in nearly every major cycling race this season.

It could have just as easily been a different name at the top of the pack though as Ball, Spencer Morgan and Thomas Tetz raced to a sprint finish. The three riders were separated by only 15 seconds.

The mixed two person teams of Amil Dupuis-Rossi, also known as the Fighting Mongoose with the Yukon Roller Girls, and Jamie McAllister managed to edge past Melanie Tait and Shea Hoffman to take first place by just seven seconds.

The mixed team division brought out the most cyclists, with 11 teams competing.

Leading the way was the Rita Smiths, who crossed the finish line with a time 5:17:36, giving them a comfortable lead over the second place team, The Hopefuls, who arrived with a time of 5:35:32.

The 173-km route stretched from Golden Horn to Marsh Lake, to Tagish, to Carcross, to Mount Lorne and back to Golden Horn.

It was a change in direction as the route had started and ended in Carcross in the past.

The cyclists were tested from the start, with the initial leg travelling the second longest distance (42-km) and facing a flurry of headwinds heading out of the Mt. Lorne Fire Hall in a mass start at 10 a.m.

There were also a series of steep but short climbs before heading into the Judas Creek Subdivision.

The second leg, the longest at 46-km, weaves through the subdivision before reconnecting to the Alaska Highway and taking cyclists through a series of rolling hills before ending at the Tagish Community Club.

The third leg begins with a climb out of Tagish where cold wind blows as the cyclists approach Carcross and Bennett Lake.

The fourth stage is a gradual climb away from Carcross and up to the Mt. Lorne Hamlet, ending at the Lorne Mountain Station at Bear Creek.

The fifth and final leg is the shortest at 19-km and leads cyclists to the finish at the Golden Horn Fire hall on the Alaska Highway.

The Southern Lakes Loppet is a hidden gem in the local cycling circuit. The race stretches across beautiful countryside and has been able to retain a small and loyal community following.

It's also affordable at $45 per rider, which includes a meal at the finish line.

The race is put on with the help of volunteers in each of the communities and also received a boost from the Golden Horn Volunteer Fire Department who provided the venue and helped with traffic control.

Finishing up the race and capturing the Crocked Wheel Award was team No Name, composed of Kathryn Kimber, Shannon L'Heureux, Monique Levesques, Kerry Maltais and Hazel Ling.

5th Annual Southern Lakes Bike Loppet Results:

Solo Men:

1. Stephen Ball: 4:54:53

2. Spencer Morgan: 4:55:00

3. Thomas Tetz: 4:55:08

Solo Women:

1. Kerrie Paterson: 5:46:52

2. Trena Irving: 7:09:23

Duo Women:

1. The Dream Team: 7:36:53

Duo Mixed:

1. Nigel Fannybottom and the Squirrel: 5:36:47

2. Speedskaters on Rubber: 5:36:54

Duo Men:

1. Where's Don: 6:18:10

3-5 Women:

1. Tree Peas in a Pod: 6:22:00

2. No Name: 8:08:11

3-5 Men:

1. Cadence Cranks: 6:08:38

3-5 Mixed:

1. The Rita Smiths: 5:17:16

2. The Hopefuls: 5:35:52

3. The Weekenders: 6:03:59