Mark Beaumont (cyclist)

Mark Beaumont (born Newburgh, Fife in Scotland, 1 January 1983) is a record-breaking long-distance cyclist. He holds the record for cycling round the world, completing his convert|18297|mi|km route on 15 February 2008, having taken 194 days and 17 hours (the previous best being 276 days 19 hours 15 minutes). [ [http://www.pedallingaround.com/start/ Web Site for the Round-the-World Record Attempt] ]

Early life

Growing up on a farm in the Scottish highlands, Beaumont was home-schooled until the age of 14. Aged just 15, he completed a solo ride the length of Great Britain from John o'Groats to Land's End.

The Guinness World Record

To qualify for the world record, Beaumont was required to travel a route that passes through two approximately antipodal points. The route began and ended in Paris, France, taking in 20 countries across Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australasia and North America. The bicycle used for the attempt was a Koga-Miyata [ [http://www.pedallingaround.com/equipment/ Web Site for the Round-the-World Record Attempt] ] with a Rohloff internal gearing hub. As well as the bike, he was carrying convert|30|kg|lb of equipment such as tools, cameras and other equipment to support him on the journey.

Beaumont endured many hardships during his journey. In in Lafayette, Louisiana he was involved in a collision with a car and robbed later the same day, and elsewhere struggled with illnesses such as dysentery.

As a result of breaking the World Record, Mark Beaumont has raised £18,000 for charity.

Beaumont's video diaries of the journey formed the basis of a documentary, "The Man who Cycled the World", which was broadcast by the BBC in August 2008. [ [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article4559764.ece The Times review of "The Man who Cycled the World"] ]

References