The organisers asked the Olympic pursuit champion to stop at Johnstonebridge in Scotland after nearly 30 hours of cycling on a tandem with Cracknell following medical advice.

 

 

The doctors said there was a possibility that there could have been long term damage to her knees had she attempted to finish the 874-mile route which could have affected her career, including participating in the 2012 Olympics in London.
 

Doctor Bentley Waller said Romero had had what he called a severe reaction.

 

He said: "It was a difficult decision to make [to pull her out] because of the commitment she'd put in, but in the long run it's the right decision."

 

Romero said " I'm gutted.

 

"James and I were were nearly up to 30 hours and 500 miles [into the attempt].

 

"I'd been doing some preventitive physio work because of some tightness and discomfort in my knees, but it was decided the volume of work was too much, and there was no time to recover and my knees are part of my day job.

 

"Before today I didn't have any pain, and I really wanted to succeed."
 

Romero had left Cornwall with former rower Cracknell, the two-time Olympic coxless four gold medallist, at 7am yesterday.

 

Cracknell said: "She's hugely devastated.

 

"It was frustrating: it wasn't easy [out there].

 

"Telling her [the event was over] was a job no one wanted, but it had to be done."

 

Cracknell hopes to try the attempt again but will have to find a new partner.

 

Romero said: "This was a big event, my one opportunity."