Starting as a five-person team in Cairo, Eqypt, it was three riders that arrived in Cape Town, South Africa… 38 days later. The goal was to cross the length of the African continent under human power, in a world record time.
Last week, South African Mark Blewett, Englishman Nicolas Bourne and Zimbabwean David Martin finished the epic 10,600km (6,587 mile) ride, in a record 38 days, 12 hours and 16 minutes. Mark Beaumont held the previous record, at 41 days 10 hours and 22 minutes.
Of course, such a feat didn’t come easily or without drama. By the time the team had left Eqypt, they were already down one team member. The then team of four was then welcomed by the Nubian Desert, with 45+C˚ air temperatures and rough roads.
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On the sixth day, sickness struck Mark Blewett and so the team decided to take a rest day. Something the team would have to make back in following days. It was then onto Ethopia, where a drop in temperate was swapped with severe climbs.
“Today was categorically the most dangerous, hectic descent of my life. Rutted roads, trucks, kids, donkeys, heat, huge potholes. And the climb out was 19km,” said Blewett of treacherous roads in Ethopia.
The post-ride debrief
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