New achievement for the young Australian cyclist: After making headlines in the world press last year by taking part in the Tour de France in bikepacking mode again, Lachlan Morton became the fastest cyclist on Sunday to complete the entire route between Canada and Mexico , the legendary Tour Divide, completed in exactly 12 days, 12 hours and 21 minutes. A masterpiece, especially since he even took the time to get a few hours of sleep along the way.

This guy is endlessly friendly and has everything he needs to bring you into line with professional cycling, which unfortunately has been dominated by dirty dealings for too long. Not just because the 31-year-old Australian wears a total pink look that suits him so well. Not only because he and his brother Gus, also a former professional runner, form a tandem that is always ready to embark on the craziest adventures – in 2014 the brothers covered the 2,500 kilometers that connect their birthplace of Port Macquarie with complete autonomy Saints connected sandstone monolith in the center of Australia, Uluru – but also because he is as creative as he is committed when implementing his projects.

We remember that in July 2021, alone and in total autonomy, he completed his own Grand Loop called “The Alt Tour”: 5,510 km in 18 days. A tribute to the first editions, a summary of the spirit of the 1903 Tour de France and the current trend in cycling and bikepacking, which sparked incredible public support in its wake. Touched by his approach, people accompanied him part of the way or gave him a bottle of water as he rode alone, without a peloton or help.

Further away from home, in America, he has just taken on his latest challenge, the Tour Divide, a myth in the world of cycling: no less than 4,296 km and 58,521 m D+, covered through five states and two provinces. Canadian networks, enough to connect Canada to Mexico. Lachlan Morton reached Antelope Wells, New Mexico, at 9:24 p.m. local time on Sunday evening and completed his individual time trial in just 12 days, 12 hours and 21 minutes. This makes him the fastest person to cover this legendary route. Official Tour Divide rules prohibit “visits”, i.e. the presence of media crews on the route, and Lachlan’s time is therefore marked with an asterisk. Nonetheless, during his monumental feat, Lachlan recorded the most mile-days ever covered on a slightly modified version of the route due to the fires around the Koko Claims in Canada, completing a full day faster than the late Mike Hall’s 13-day time in 2016. 22 hours and 51 minutes, which is still the self-sufficient course record.

The result of solid training, but also well-thought-out sleep management. Unlike some ultra-endurance cyclists who still over-neglect rest in favor of mileage, the Australian gave himself 12 hours every 48 hours to avoid exhausting himself mentally and physically. Let’s add that Lachlan attended a fundraiser as usual Adventure for everyone, a nonprofit organization that empowers people with intellectual and developmental abnormalities (Down syndrome, autism, etc.) to care for themselves through adventures in the great outdoors. Through this (still ongoing) collection he has so far been able to collect more than 26,000 euros. In addition to the 588,000 euros that he was already able to pay for his “Tour de France”, there are also “ World Bicycle Aid », an association that aims to provide the most disadvantaged people around the world with the bicycles they need to work or study.

Header photo: EF PRO CYCLING

subjects :

Lachlan Morton

Record

Ultra endurance