Lael Wilcox attacks the world record: Fastest person around the world on a bike?

The 41-year-old endurance cyclist from Anchorage, Alaska, already holds the women's world record for a circumnavigation of the globe. In September 2024, Lael Wilcox completed 29,200 kilometres in 108 days, 12 hours and 12 minutes. She cycled an average of 269 kilometres per day and climbed 192,000 metres in altitude. Now she is going for the absolute record, regardless of gender.

Route over seven stages

The route is divided into seven sections with six transfers. Lael Wilcox first travels from Chicago to Halifax in Nova Scotia. After crossing the Atlantic, the European leg follows from Lisbon to Istanbul. The journey continues through Kazakhstan in Central Asia to Southeast Asia, where she travels from Bangkok to Singapore. In Australia, the Perth-Brisbane route is on the programme, followed by a section through New Zealand. The final stage leads from Anchorage back to the starting point in Chicago. She must reach the finish before 24 August at 18:40.

Lael Wilcox Material

Lael Wilcox relies on a Specialized S-Works Roubaix with Future Shock suspension. The drivetrain consists of SRAM RED AXS with a 48/35 chainring combination and 170 mm cranks. A power meter records the performance data. The cassette offers a range of 10-36 teeth and the gears are shifted via wireless blips. The new Zipp 202 NSW and 454 NSW wheels are used. Zipp Vuka Evo aerobars with clip extensions and Zipp Service Course CX handlebar tape complete the equipment.

Lael Wilcox plans to spend 16 hours a day in the saddle

Lael Wilcox is planning 386 kilometres per day for the 29,000 kilometres. She wants to spend 16 hours a day on her bike. For the first time in her ultra-racing career, she is travelling with full support. Her crew includes her wife Rue Kaladyte and three to four helpers. They are travelling in a camper van and check on Wilcox several times a day. They also take care of everything - from campsites to cooking meals, route changes due to weather to monitoring wear and tear on bike components. Wilcox emphasises the importance of the experiment: "Ultra-endurance cycling is one of the few sports in which women compete directly against men. Nevertheless, the performance of women is constantly questioned. The record would inspire women and communities worldwide. She already proved that she is prepared to give her all in the run-up to the race: she cut off her hair to save time on hair care.

Career since 2015

Wilcox began her career largely self-taught. After tearing her Achilles tendon during a shift in a restaurant, she borrowed her mum's bike to take the strain off her foot. Since then, she has competed internationally in all disciplines: Road, gravel, mountain bike and fat bike. In 2015, she set the women's record at the Tour Divide. In 2016, she became the first woman and first US American to win the Trans Am Bike Race. Wilcox is committed to promoting women in cycling and organises mentoring programmes for children, adventure scholarships and bikepacking meetings for women.