US cyclist Lael Wilcox shatters world record with 108-day round-the-world ride

Jack Aylmer

SHE PEDALED HER WAY INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS! 

LAEL WILCOX JUST BROKE THE GUINESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE FASTEST CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE GLOBE BY BICYCLE. 

IN A RECORD-BREAKING TIME OF 108-DAYS, 12-HOURS AND 12-MINUTES, THE 37-YEAR-OLD CYCLIST FROM THE U.S. SHATTERED THE PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN 2018, BY SCOTTISH CYCLIST JENNY GRAHAM, CUTTING IT BY NEARLY 16 DAYS.

AT EXACTLY 6:14 P.M. SEPTEMBER 11TH, WILCOX ARRIVED BACK IN BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN IN CHICAGO, SMILING EAR TO EAR AS SHE OFFICIALLY CLAIMED THE WOMEN’S GUINESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE FASTEST CIRCUMNAVIGATION BY BICYCLE.

SHE WAS ABLE TO DOCUMENT HER JOURNEY WITH WAHOO FITNESS.

WILCOX COVERED 18-THOUSAND-125-MILES, CROSSING FOUR CONTINENTS AND 21 COUNTRIES STARTING HER JOURNEY IN CHICAGO ON MAY 26TH, SHE AVERAGED 175-MILES PER DAY. ON ONE PARTICULARLY GRUELING DAY, SHE COVERED 271-MILES TO ESCAPE A HEATWAVE IN CALIFORNIA. 

TO MEET THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD CRITERIA, SHE HAD TO RIDE AT LEAST 18-THOUSAND MILES IN ONE DIRECTION, STAY WITHIN A FIVE-DEGREE MARGIN OFF COURSE AND PASS THROUGH TWO POINTS THAT ARE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED.

WILCOX, SAID THE TRIP WAS LIKE RUNNING A MARATHON EVERYDAY. 

BUT THE COMPETITION ISN’T OVER YET, A CYCLIST FROM INDIAN IS ALREADY 65 DAYS AND FIVE-THOUSAND MILES INTO HER OWN ATTEMPT AT THE RECORD. COULD WILCOX’S TRIUMPH BE SHORT LIVED? ONLY TIME WILL TELL!

FOR NOW, WILCOX HOLDS THE TITLE 

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