By . Barbara Mcmahon . Tired but elated, Pippa Middleton was all smiles yesterday as she completed a cycling race across America – and  she credited her success to a ‘particularly comfy’ saddle. Pippa, 30, crossed the finish line just after 3am in Annapolis, Maryland, after covering 3,000 miles in six days, ten hours and 54 minutes. The younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge was  the only woman in a team of eight, which also included her brother James. Pippa, James and the rest of the team arrived in Annapolis, Maryland, with others from the Race Across America cycle team just after 3am local time, after covering 3,000 miles in six days, ten hours and 54 minutes . Family fun: The Duchess of Cambridge's younger sister, 30, and their 27-year-old brother set off from Oceanside, California for their adventure last Saturday, with Pippa the only woman on the team . Soft: Pippa revealed before setting off that she would be protecting her widely appreciated bottom with plenty of special 'chamois cream', which prevents chafing. Her custom-built, £2,250 road bike also no doubt helped . Professional but patriotic look: Pippa and her team-mates rode across America in Union flag-themed lycras . They set off from California on the . Race Across America with the aim of crossing 12 states to raise money . for charity. Asked if she had suffered saddle sores, Pippa laughed and . said: ‘It wasn’t too bad. I think it was because I chose a particularly . comfy saddle. The hardest thing was the sheer endurance of it and not . getting enough sleep. We averaged about three hours a night. ‘I found cycling at night quite intimidating. There was a few nights when we came across snakes, skunks and deer.’ She said her legs had been sore for the first few days. ‘They were a bit wobbly at first but then I got used to it,’ she added. A glowing, tanned looking Pippa was happy to pose with a beaming Cayman, 9, during a pit stop in her mammoth 3000 mile ride across America . The gruelling test of endurance didn't seem to be taking too much of a toll on super-fit Pippa . Cayman and her mother Lisa bumped into Pippa and her brother James as they made a brief pit stop . James Middleton, sporting a full mountain-man beard, joined his sister on the charity bike ride across America . Pippa smiles as she climbs back into the escort car with her brother to rest while others continue cycling . The Route: Race Across America takes place across 12 days, with cyclists venturing from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland . Pippa . and her team cycled through California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, . Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania . and Maryland. It’s been brilliant. I was talked into this by most of the . boys, and particularly by James,’ she added. The . trip did not go completely to plan. Two of the team’s bikes developed . faults and two support vehicles, including the mobile kitchen, also . broke down. There have been . fatalities in the race in previous years  and Olympic legend Sir Steve . Redgrave, who took part in 2010, broke cheekbones, ribs and a wrist . after falling from his bike. Pippa, 30 and James, 27, appeared upbeat about the enormous challenge ahead of them before they set off on Saturday . Pippa Middleton pictured on June 13 at the start of her grueling 3,000 mile bike ride across 12 states for charity . Pippa Middleton and her brother set off on the charity on the epic bike race across 12 American states in eight days . The 30-year-old test rides her 7.5kg bike - which was crafted with her famous posterior in mind. Lasers scanned thousands of points on her body to ensure it would be the perfect fit . Pippa is the only woman taking part in the ride, which is in aid of The Michael Matthews Foundation . Pippa . and her team was raising money for the British Heart Foundation – which . has appointed her as an ambassador – and The Michael Matthews . Foundation, named after a British adventurer who died in 1999, aged 22, . on Mount Everest. It provides education to children who wouldn’t . otherwise receive one. By yesterday Pippa had raised more than £4,800.
James and Pippa set off from Oceanside, California, last Saturday .
They were part of a team of eight taking turns to cycle while others rested .
Pippa revealed she would treat her bottom with plenty of saddle cream .
But her custom-built, £2,250 road bike no doubt helped her as well .
By . Barbara Mcmahon . Tired but elated, Pippa Middleton was all smiles yesterday as she completed a cycling race across America – and she credited her success to a ‘particularly comfy’ saddle. Pippa, 30, crossed the finish line just after 3am in Annapolis, Maryland, after covering 3,000 miles in six days, ten hours and 54 minutes. The younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge was  the only woman in a team of eight, which also included her brother James. Pippa, James and the rest of the team arrived in Annapolis, Maryland, with others from the Race Across America cycle team just after 3am local time, after covering 3,000 miles in six days, ten hours and 54 minutes . Family fun: The Duchess of Cambridge's younger sister, 30, and their 27-year-old brother set off from Oceanside, California for their adventure last Saturday, with Pippa the only woman on the team . Soft: Pippa revealed before setting off that she would be protecting her widely appreciated bottom with plenty of special 'chamois cream', which prevents chafing. Her custom-built, £2,250 road bike also no doubt helped . Professional but patriotic look: Pippa and her team-mates rode across America in Union flag-themed lycras . They set off from California on the . Race Across America with the aim of crossing 12 states to raise money . for charity. Asked if she had suffered saddle sores, Pippa laughed and . said: ‘It wasn’t too bad. I think it was because I chose a particularly . comfy saddle. The hardest thing was the sheer endurance of it and not . getting enough sleep. We averaged about three hours a night. ‘I found cycling at night quite intimidating. There was a few nights when we came across snakes, skunks and deer.’ She said her legs had been sore for the first few days. ‘They were a bit wobbly at first but then I got used to it,’ she added. A glowing, tanned looking Pippa was happy to pose with a beaming Cayman, 9, during a pit stop in her mammoth 3000 mile ride across America . The gruelling test of endurance didn't seem to be taking too much of a toll on super-fit Pippa . Cayman and her mother Lisa bumped into Pippa and her brother James as they made a brief pit stop . James Middleton, sporting a full mountain-man beard, joined his sister on the charity bike ride across America . Pippa smiles as she climbs back into the escort car with her brother to rest while others continue cycling . The Route: Race Across America takes place across 12 days, with cyclists venturing from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland . Pippa . and her team cycled through California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, . Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania . and Maryland. It’s been brilliant. I was talked into this by most of the . boys, and particularly by James,’ she added. The . trip did not go completely to plan. Two of the team’s bikes developed . faults and two support vehicles, including the mobile kitchen, also . broke down. There have been . fatalities in the race in previous years  and Olympic legend Sir Steve . Redgrave, who took part in 2010, broke cheekbones, ribs and a wrist . after falling from his bike. Pippa, 30 and James, 27, appeared upbeat about the enormous challenge ahead of them before they set off on Saturday . Pippa Middleton pictured on June 13 at the start of her grueling 3,000 mile bike ride across 12 states for charity . Pippa Middleton and her brother set off on the charity on the epic bike race across 12 American states in eight days . The 30-year-old test rides her 7.5kg bike - which was crafted with her famous posterior in mind. Lasers scanned thousands of points on her body to ensure it would be the perfect fit . Pippa is the only woman taking part in the ride, which is in aid of The Michael Matthews Foundation . Pippa . and her team was raising money for the British Heart Foundation – which . has appointed her as an ambassador – and The Michael Matthews . Foundation, named after a British adventurer who died in 1999, aged 22, . on Mount Everest. It provides education to children who wouldn’t . otherwise receive one. By yesterday Pippa had raised more than £4,800.
Cambridge was  the only woman in a team of eight, James and the rest of the team arrived in 27-year-old brother set off from Oceanside, California for their adventure last Saturday, Pippa revealed before setting off that she would chafing. Her custom-built, £2,250 road bike also no doubt helped . Professional but patriotic with her brother to rest while others continue