'GIRL On A Bike' Vanessa Ruck and her husband Alex have become the first riders ever to complete the Extreme category of Europe's largest Adventour event, the HAT Sanremo-Sestriere.

The Monmouth couple rode Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special motorcycles and finished the gruelling challenge in just 40 hours.

The HAT Sanremo-Sestriere is a non-competitive off-road challenge now in its 15th year.

The event, which took place from 8-10 September, started in the northwestern Italian city of Sanremo and ended at Sestriere in the Italian Alps.

Vanessa, known on social media as 'The Girl On A Bike,' and Alex were part of a team of three that included their friend Anika.

They faced an arduous 780km off-road course through varying conditions, from hot and dusty trails to cold, rocky terrains.

Vanessa expressed her excitement about the feat, saying: "We literally turned up at the event, signed on, set the Pan America semi-active suspension into off-road mode, strapped on sleeping bags and other necessities, and set off at 11:30pm on Friday night.

"After 35 hours riding and just 5 hours broken sleep, we did it! I can't describe how good it felt to arrive at Sestriere."

The motorcycles they used for this challenging journey were standard Pan America 1250 Special models, equipped with factory option accessories like H-D wire-laced wheel rims, Daymaker Led auxiliary lights, Michelin Anakee Wild off-road tyres, and the award-winning Adaptive Ride Height system.

The Pan America motorcycle, since its 2021 launch, has been recognised for its ruggedness, power, and advanced technology.

Interested riders from the UK and Ireland can test the Pan America at authorised Harley-Davidson dealerships.

Those completing a test ride before 1 December 2023 will be entered into a prize draw to win a Pan America 1250 Special and a day at the Harley-Davidson Adventure Centre with Mick Extance, according to terms and conditions.