In the evening twilight hours of September 11, 2024, Lael Wilcox became the unofficial new world record holder for the Fastest Circumnavigation of the World by Bicycle (female).
Wilcox left Chicago's Grant Park at 7:06 a.m. on May 26, 2024, and returned to the Buckingham Fountain 108 days, 12 hours, and 12 minutes later, having completed 18,125 miles (29,169 km) across three continents and 22 countries.
With her time, the 38-year-old Alaskan has unseated Scot Jenny Graham who held the record since 2018 after completing her unsupported journey in 124 days, 10 hours and 50 minutes.
"I had so much fun — felt like I could’ve just kept riding forever," Wilcox commented at the finish, where she was welcomed by family, friends and the Chicago cycling community.
Wilcox travelled the world aboard a customised Specialized Roubaix and tackled North America first, then Europe. She then flew to Australia and New Zealand, racking up miles along the way, before flying back to her home state of Alaska, and riding back to where it all began in Chicago, Illinois. You can see her full route here.
On her around-the-world journey, Wilcox completed 18,125 miles (29,169 km) with 630,000 feet (192,024 meters) of climbing. She averaged approximately 170 miles a day.
In addition to contesting with the long days and elements, Wilcox also battled illness, flat tyres, mechanicals and, at times, terrible weather
"On day 4, I was throwing up all day, it never stopped raining and I was getting multiple punctures. I still rode 139 miles, but it was a tough one," she told her sponsor, SRAM.
Wilcox reveals that she has lost some weight but "not too much," fueling herself with six to eight thousand calories a day, including an ungodly amount of Coca-Cola.
Wilcox used social media to announce where she'd be riding each day, and thousands of fans across the globe joined her for a mile or two along the while. Thousands more followed her tracker and cheered her on from afar.
Her favourite of the 110 days of riding was the first day she rode through Alaska, which at the time she rode there, had daylight until 11 p.m. and brought back happy childhood memories for her.
Her wife, photographer and videographer Rue Kaladyte, documented the adventure on social media and published regular podcasts. A full-length documentary of the attempt is forthcoming as well.
Wilcox is a world-renowned endurance athlete who stumbled into bike racing 10 years ago and has dominated the sport of uber-long sufferfests ever since. The FKT-chaser’s list of accomplishments includes records at basically all of the world's biggest endurance races and trails, including Iditorod, Tour Divide, Baja Divide, Trans-Am, Navad 1,000, Badlands, Westfjords Way Challenge, and the Arizona Trail – just to name a few. Wilcox also won the 350-mile Unbound XL in 2021 after riding her bike 600 miles to the start. And now, she's added the biggest FKT of them all to her list.
Wilcox is known for dreaming up her next adventure while still in the midst of one, but she has yet to reveal what her next great expedition will be. Whatever it is, given her track record, it's bound to be big.
The Guinness World Record
Fastest known times (FKTs) are exactly what they sound like: the fastest known time it has taken someone to complete an established route. And the fastest trip around the world has to be the most prestigious.
Scot Jenny Graham held the last official Guinness World Record for the Fastest Circumnavigation of the World by Bicycle (Female) set in 2018. She rode 18,400 miles (29,600km) in 124 days and 11 hours, besting the previous record, set by Paola Gianotti in 2014, by 20 days. Lael Wilcox has bested Graham's time by well over 15 days.
To qualify for a Guinness World Record, the rider must complete the same distance as the circumference of the Earth — 18,000 miles— in one direction, starting and finishing in the same place.
The rider may make their own route and to jump between continents, air and sea travel is allowed as long as at least 18,000 miles are actually ridden.
