Lael Wilcox eyes Mark Beaumont's around-the-world record in 2026
Ultra-endurance cyclist Lael Wilcox has chosen her next big challenge. Speaking at Rouleur Live in London on Thursday, Wilcox revealed that she will attempt to break the outright record for a supported ride around the world starting in June 2026.
"I set the women's around the world record last year, but during that ride, I was self-supported and I picked a really mountainous route. I went through all the major cities and was carrying camping equipment and gear. I finished in 108 days," Wilcox told CyclingNews. "In the end, it was the coolest thing; I got to go after this Guinness World Record, and it felt like a goodwill tour of the world ... [But] I was left thinking, 'well, what athletically could I actually do?'"
The 39-year-old holds the women's record for an unsupported ride of 108 days, 12 hours and 12 minutes, set in 2024, but now she's after Mark Beaumont's 2017 time of 78 days, 14 hours and 40 minutes.
"As a woman, is it possible to beat the men's record, which is 78 days? You have to average – in the end – 230 miles a day. I can imagine doing it because I've raced across the US in an average of 235 miles [a day] for 18 days. So, I was like, physically I can do this, with the approach of efficiency; having a full support team, flatter route and trying to keep momentum."
