Fastest cyclist to circle the globe-world record
set by James Bowthorpe
Hyde Park, Central London, UK --James
Bowthorpe, 32, cycled 18,000 miles across 20 countries
in 174 days beating the world record by 20 days-and setting
the new world record for the Fastest
cyclist to circle the globe.
Photo: James Bowthorpe, 32, celebrates
completing a solo round-the-world cycle ride, with his girlfriend
Nadja Coyne, in Hyde Park, London. Photo / AP
(enlarge
photo) The Fastest
man to pedal around globe cycled more than 100 miles day
on a route including France, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Turkey,
Iran, India, Thailand, Australia and the US - taking flights
where necessary.
The challenge, sponsored by The Independent, meant
that Bowthorpe cycled for up to 14 hours a day, beating the
record
set by Mark Beaumont by 19 days.
James
Bowthorpe began his epic adventure in March with the
aim of raising £1.8m – roughly £100 for every mile – for research
into Parkinson's disease. So far he has accumulated £55,000
out of a £1.8 million target. You can help him get there by
making a donation at www.justgiving.com/globecycle.
He faced an attempted kidnapping in Iran, a wombat
attack in Australia and "some idiots" throwing a kebab at
him through a car window in Western Australia.
The endurance cyclist also encountered some kind
turns, including free clothes and bike maintainance along
the way. He said: "Coming home was the best
feeling of all."
He told The Times: “The best thing about the
trip was the people. I’ve been shown some amazing kindness
– I’ve had free meals and clothes and bike maintenance. The
mechanic at Bullmoose Brothers in Kentucky gave
me the cranks off his own bike when mine failed.
