‘First we took a country, then a continent, now it’s the world’: ultra-cyclist Sarah Ruggins announces outright round-the-world record attempt

Cycling Weekly has uncovered that ultra-endurance cyclist Sarah Ruggins is set to embark on an ambitious expedition, Project Atlas, aiming to break the world record for the fastest round-the-world bicycle journey. The current record, held by Mark Beaumont since 2017, stands at 78 days, 14 hours, and 40 minutes, covering a distance of 18,032 miles. Beaumont's record was nearly broken by Alaskan cyclist Lael Wilcox, who attempted it earlier this year but was forced to stop after 14 days due to heat exhaustion.

Ruggins, a Canadian-born athlete with a background in recovering from a rare autoimmune condition, is determined to shave three days off Beaumont's record, aiming to complete the 29,000km (18,000-mile) challenge in just 75 days. She plans to set off from Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia on May 4, 2027, and will need to average 400 km (250 miles) per day to achieve this feat.

Ruggins, who has already set two outright records, one for the Land's End–John O'Groats-Land's End route in 2025 and another for cycling 6042km (3754 miles) across Europe in 2024, is no stranger to breaking records. She explains that she selects challenging routes where men hold the fastest known times, and aims to beat these records.

The Project Atlas expedition is the third leg of a trilogy for Ruggins, with the first two challenges taking a country and a continent, respectively. She explains that this progression allowed her and her team to develop their skills and knowledge, leading to more complex and ambitious challenges. Unlike Beaumont's route, which allowed him to pass through Russia, Wilcox's record attempt, and other countries, Ruggins' route will be distinct due to current geopolitical situations.

She emphasizes that her goal is not to beat Beaumont's record, but to explore the possibility of completing the journey in 75 days, taking a different route to avoid disruptions and obstacles.