The journey so far

9,000 miles, 10 countries and 38 days later, the halfway point on my Around the World cycle was reached. While myself and the team are on course to complete the expedition, an incredible feat of teamwork in itself, it’s fair to say that day one at the Arc de Triomphe back on July 2nd feels like an awfully long time ago.

I’ve spent 16 hours a day on the bike, with a daily target of 240 miles. This has taken its toll mentally, physically and emotionally. The changing weather conditions, logistics and time zones have all played their part, too. But, despite it all, I’ve actually loved every minute. I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to be exposed to so many different cultures and I’m looking forward to seeing more on the road once we touch down in New Zealand. Pushing the boundaries of human endurance is one thing, and it’s also a privilege to meet many different people when joined along the way by other cyclists. To see how the expedition has gripped people’s imagination is wonderful.

The starting point

From the off I knew this was going to be a stern test of my experience as an endurance athlete, but the journey so far has exceeded all expectations. Germany was tough, especially around the north of Berlin where we encountered a number of roadworks that played havoc with our timings. Random roadworks aren’t the sort of thing you can plan ahead for, but there’s always the risk that these sorts of challenges can present themselves, and when they do you have to find a way to overcome them. In this instance, I kept losing my support vehicle because roads were closed off to vehicles and I’d find myself alone, with no supplies. Fortunately, I didn’t suffer any issues while my team weren’t around and they eventually caught up with me.

I’ve said all along that this whole expedition is not just about my endurance, but that of the team as well. Anything can happen in the heat of battle and it’s not just about the man on the bike. Along the way, one of my crew had to have steri-stripping (Alex walked into a hatch window in the early hours and cut his head) and my performance manager Laura endured a bout of food poisoning, which meant she had to stay in isolation for 48 hours. On the road, injuries are one of the biggest concerns but, in many ways, making our way across Europe in six days was a dream start. Then we hit Russia.

Broken teeth and damaged limbs

On day nine, about an hour and a half into the session, I suffered a pretty major crash. At around 5.30am I cycled through what I thought was sitting water. It turned out to be a huge pot hole. My front wheel disappeared before me and I was catapulted over the handle bars.

My left arm and face bore the brunt of the impact. Recovering from the shock, the first thing I felt was a broken tooth. Initially, I thought I’d smashed in my front teeth, but it was actually about a quarter of my left canine tooth that had been sheared off. If I’m honest, I feared the worst at that point. I thought it was all over. An impact of that nature can cause damage to the neck which would have put an end to all our plans but thankfully, although there was still pain in my left arm, I could weight bear and there was no injury to the neck. I suspect when we get some downtime to examine my arm properly there may a hairline fracture in there somewhere. Crucially, the bike wasn’t badly damaged.

I also must give a mention to the British Embassy in Russia, who were brilliant at organising a dental kit that allowed my team to construct a temporary filling - not an easy thing to find at short notice when you’re on the road.

By day 12 I was in much better shape, but the knock-on effect of my crash meant I was developing serious pain in my right foot to counteract the pain I was feeling in my left arm. Aches and pains are all part of the experience, as any endurance athlete will tell you. 

Stage one complete

By day 16 the strong Russian headwinds and rain were becoming increasingly tough to deal with and there were a few punctures along the way. Everything hurt and poor-quality roads were making life difficult for everybody. It was only through sheer determination, perseverance and meticulous planning that by day 19 I’d broken through the 4,500-mile milestone and was officially a quarter of the way around the world. By day 23 I was heading out of Russia (and away from the constant stream of huge articulated lorries overtaking me at 70mph) into Mongolia and then onto China.

We reached the Chinese border on day 27, but it was closed when we arrived. I wasn’t complaining too much though, because it meant I got eight hours sleep compared to the usual five - it felt unusual to wake up in the daylight!

28 days in and stage one, Paris to Beijing, was complete. With stage two looming on the horizon, I must admit I was looking forward to getting back onto the tarmac in Australia.

Return to Oz

Arriving in Australia, I was greeted by quite different weather conditions – rain, darkness and the cold – but the wind was on my side for the first two days.  What a transition though – from touchdown in Perth to the start of leg two was only about 35 minutes in total. A quick glance at my social media really gave me a lift thanks to the support from people all over the world. It’s been a huge help when the tiredness and pain kicks in to know that so many people have been captivated by what I’m trying to achieve.

On day 32 I reached an old haunt, the 90 Mile Straight – the longest straight road in Australia. Last time I cycled the world 10 years ago, it took me a solid week to get from Perth to there – this time I managed it in just four days, which should give you some indication of my speed.

The graveyard shift in the morning in Australia was a tough one, mostly because of the cold and the wind - it’s either with you or very much against you. Mentally this can cause massive highs and lows. Riding through dawn is incredible, but every day is a battle and there’s plenty more to come.

On day 39, we had our biggest scare yet. Four hours in and everything was going well until a car rear-ended our motorhome. The car was a write-off and our vehicle had to be replaced. I was on the hard shoulder so wasn’t hit. Had I been on the road things would have been very different. Claire in the support team was excellent, both with the rest of our team and the passengers of the car. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries.

More than ever I’ve come to realise the importance of having the right people on your side and that extends to my sponsors at LDC. They understand the value in building the right team to support your own ambition. Heading into the next stage of Around the World my body and mind is feeling the effects of this unknown territory of endurance, so I’m going to need my team more than ever.

Next stop New Zealand and the final 9,000 miles. Wish me luck.!