Bikers brave the devilish hills of Greene County for Tour of the Catskills

Above: Bikers roll out for a men's pro event in the Tour of the Catskills race over the weekend. Via YouTube.

This weekend, road bikers from across the country descended on Greene County for the fifth annual Tour of the Catskills. The three-day race pits cyclists against about 140 miles of road, and some of the bike racing world's most notoriously grueling hills.

With 751 cyclists registered, 2012 was the biggest Tour of the Catskills yet, organizers wrote on the event's website.

Taking home top honors in the pro races were 52-year-old Christine Schryver of Rochester for the women, and 25-year-old rookie Michael Woods of Ottawa, Canada for the men.

Woods had a rough time with the Devil's Kitchen, he told the Daily Mail:

Woods, like everyone else, suffered on the 2.5 mile incredibly steep climb, in the remote Platte Clove region, that has more than lived up to its nickname since being added to the race, three years ago.

“I died a million deaths going up that thing,” said Woods, who had heard of the Satan-like ascent but never seen it, although he clearly was physically and mentally up to the task.

Complete results for all Tour of the Catskills events can be found here.