Lael Rides Around the World, Faster

Lael Wilcox is riding around the world. Again. Having beaten the women’s record by a fortnight two years ago, Lael is back to break the men’s record – aiming to ride under 78 days and 14 hours. And she’s already underway. Starting on June 7th in Chicago at 4AM local time, Lael is riding 3,225km to Halifax, Nova Scotia, before crossing to Lisbon and continuing east. All being well, she’ll finish back in Chicago on Monday, 24th August by 6:40PM, having broken the record for a second time.

If the first loop was as much about community, meeting riders where they are and spending time with them on their roads on Lael’s way round the world, this time it’s about performance. Don’t believe us? Lael shaved her head in May at Rapha San Francisco to show it, and that’s only the beginning.

Earlier this year, Lael spent time in Specialized’s Win Tunnel in California to analyse the aerodynamics of different setups. The resulting data led to a bespoke Rapha suit, engineered specifically for her global challenge. While endurance and comfort remain her baseline, Lael will switch into this custom piece for specific sections of the route where maximising aerodynamic gains matters most.

After a trial run in March with a close-knit team, including partner Rue Kaladyte – whose incredible pictures and video postcards brought Lael’s ride to life for those of us at home – Lael is gearing up to go again, and we’ll be there for every pedalstroke.