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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Kieran Pender

‘A huge day out’: Lachlan Morton makes history with 648km Auckland to Wellington ride in less than a day

Australian cyclist Lachlan Morton
In January, Australian cyclist Lachlan Morton set off from Auckland on a mission to make it to Wellington, at the other end of New Zealand’s north island, before the end of the day. Photograph: Dan King for Rapha

Throughout his career, Lachlan Morton – among the world’s pre-eminent ultra-endurance cyclists – has spent some long days on the bike. The Australian has raced the Vuelta a España and Giro d’Italia, ridden from Land’s End to John o’Groats in the United Kingdom, and last year spent a month riding 14,200km around Australia.

But no single day has compared to an effort last month, beginning at 4.09am in Auckland, New Zealand, and ending 18-and-a-half hours later in Wellington. Covering the 648km from the New Zealand’s biggest city to its capital in less than a day, the Australian cyclist made history.

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