Mark Beaumont breaks the NC500 cycle record
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont has beaten the record for the fastest ride round the North Coast 500.
Beaumont crossed the finish line yesterday in a blistering 28 hours 35 minutes.
His time beats by close to 30 minutes the record set last year by Durness native Robbie Mitchell of 29 hours, five minutes and 42 seconds.
It is still subject to verification from the World Ultra Cycling Association.
Beaumont, who was followed by a support team from Global Cycling Network (GCN+) set out from Inverness Castle at 8am on Saturday
He rode his Argon 18 E-119 Tri+bike across the finish line just ahead of gale-force winds and rain forecast for Sunday afternoon.
The 39-year-old took just 16 minutes off the bike for rest across the whole record attempt which has been filmed by GCN+ for an exclusive documentary set to be released later this year.
Despite powering up more than 10,000 metres (32,000 feet) of unrelenting climbs – more than the height of Mount Everest – in weather conditions including high winds and rain, Beaumont held a blistering average speed of 29.3kph (18.2mph), including breaks.
The Edinburgh-based cyclist holds Guinness World Records for biking around the world in 78 days, 14 hours, 40 minutes (2017), and from Cairo to Cape Town in 42 days (2015).
He said: "It was even harder to break Robbie’s record than I thought it would be.
"Even when weather is in your favour, there’s no 'free miles' on the North Cost 500.
"My best memories from the last 28 hours and the days and weeks prior to the attempt have involved the incredible support team, and having my wife Nicci along for the ride for the first time was special."
"I hope this film inspires people to explore the north of Scotland – but I wouldn’t recommend trying it non-stop."
