Andorran cyclist Xavi Casas, 28, reaches the top of the 88-story Jin Mao Tower Monday afternoon, December 31, 2007, beating Chinese contestant Zhang Jincheng, 23, and Colombian Javier Zapata, 34, in riding up 2,008 stairs as a New Year's Eve extreme sport test. [Photo: shanghaidaily.com]

Andorran cyclist Xavi Casas took just 41 minutes and 57 seconds to ride up the 2,008 stairs of Shanghai's 88-story Jin Mao Tower on Monday afternoon, becoming the champion of the international bike trial competition as well as setting a new Guinness record.

The 28-year-old beat the other two contestants, Zhang Jincheng from China's Zhejiang Province, and Colombian Javier Zapata. Zhang, 23, took 47 minutes and 36 seconds to complete the climb while the 34-year-old Zapata took 93 minutes and five seconds.

The race started at 2 pm from the B2 floor of the skyscraper and reached the 88th floor, covering 2,008 stairs on a 348.8-meter ascension.

Casas was the first to set off, followed by Zapata and Zhang at a 20-minute interval. The three cyclists agreed to the race on August 8 and decided to welcome the New Year by staging the contest on New Year's Eve.

All have been undergoing grueling training programs over the past five months.

"Competing with these great cyclists, I came to realize my shortcomings. I believe I will do a lot better in the future," said Zhang, who took about 100 minutes to ride up 1,958 stairs of Jin Mao Tower on December 31, 2006, when he set the Guinness world record.

Zapata was full of praise for the two younger competitors.

"They made me feel proud and excited. I tried my best today and I have no excuses," he said.

(Shanghai Daily by Yang Lifei January 1, 2008)