896 kilometers and 173 meters in just 24 hours. That was the incredible distance covered by Austrian cyclist Christoph Strasser, breaking the world record for the greatest distance pedaled outdoors in a single day. To put it in perspective, it's the same distance as the road from Oviedo to Cádiz.
Strasser maintained an average speed of 37 km/h and a power output of 250 watts, riding nonstop on the asphalt of the old Tempelhof airport in Berlin. The absence of wind and favorable weather conditions were key to his success, allowing him to surpass the previous record held by Slovenian Jure Robic (840 km in 24 hours, in 2004) by more than 50 kilometers.
During the first eight hours, his average speed reached 40 km/h, demonstrating impressive performance on his road bike. However, not everything was easy: thousands of fans crowded the track to witness the record, some even accompanying him for several kilometers on their own bikes. "The biggest problem at first was the number of spectators present. I'm glad they didn't cause an accident," Strasser commented after the feat.
Despite suffering a flat tire, he had no major technical or physical issues, although fatigue and the cold night were an additional challenge. His achievement is a clear example of the extreme performance cyclists can reach in endurance events, whether on road bikes or facing challenges on long routes with mountain bikes, where endurance and adaptability are essential.
Tuvalum Team
