Lael Wilcox just doesn’t know how to sit still. Since returning home in September from her record-setting ride around the world, the 39-year-old ultra-endurance cyclist has done anything but rest. In her adopted hometown of Tucson, Arizona, she’s been charging up Mount Lemmon like it’s a warm-up hill and gaining speed and setting PBs at the Shoot Out—America’s fastest group ride.
She also travelled to her native Alaska to tackle (and win, again) the Iditarod Trail Invitational 350, a 350-mile fat bike race in the frozen tundra of Alaska. She’s currently in Emporia, Kansas, with the hopes of turning her incredible base and newfound speed into another Unbound XL victory.
“I’m excited! It’ll be fun,” she practically shouted with her trademark giggle.
But what people may not realise is that beyond that ever-present smile, buoyant energy and contagious laughter, Wilcox is as fiercely competitive as they come. She hates being beaten. Not by anyone. And especially not by men.
Which is why, now that she’s secured the women’s record for fastest circumnavigation of the globe, Wilcox is setting her sights even higher: the overall world record. That means going after the eight-year-old record of ultra-endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont. The Brit completed the 18,032-mile journey back in 2017 in a time of 78 days, 14 hours, and 40 minutes.
“Yeah, I want to beat the men’s record! It’s a classic battle of the sexes,” Wilcox said. “Everyone’s been asking, ‘What man is going to go after this record?’ And none are asking, or even considering, that a woman could do it. And, I think I can.”
It’s classic Lael: optimistic, defiant, audacious.
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Around The World in 78 Days
(Image credit: Dominique Powers)
In 2024, Wilcox covered her 18,125 miles across 22 countries and three continents in just over 108 days, averaging about 180 miles a day. To beat Beaumont’s record, she’ll need to ride closer to 230 miles daily and shave a whole month off her previous time.
The idea of that kind of mileage in a day, let alone 78 days in a row, would scare the vast majority of cyclists. But Wilcox? She sees it as doable.
“Last time, I rode 12 hours a day and I was off the bike 12 hours a day because I stopped to talk with people, eat, sleep, all this stuff,” she explained.
“It felt like not only a record ride, but also a global celebration of cycling. And I love the way we did it. It was so fun. But next time I’m going to have to have more of a program to get four more hours a day on the bike, which I can do, you know?”
In this next attempt, the celebration and community aspect will have to take a back seat. She’ll also have to tame her love of climbing and sightseeing. That means a flatter, faster route. Fewer mountain passes. Fewer major cities. Less romance, more rigour.
“Last time I went over all these mountain passes and rode through every major city. I climbed like 640,000 feet or something like that, which is crazy, but I like that. But both of those are kind of time sucks,” Wilcox said. “They’re fun, but if it’s a record going for efficiency, you don’t do that.”
To qualify for an Around the World record, riders must cycle a minimum of 18,000 miles in one direction, start and finish at the same location, and traverse at least two antipodal points. Air and sea travel between continents is allowed (but only miles ridden count toward the total), and so is support from a crew. You just cannot draft behind any rider or vehicle.
Wilcox said she’ll have a support crew on this next attempt—someone to help her stay on top of her calories, ensure the bike runs smoothly, and alert her of any detours or road obstructions.
And whereas she “was winging” it the last time around, never truly knowing what she’d be ending up by the end of the day, the route planning will be more methodical this time.
“ For preparation, we have to have a couple options for routes. For efficiency, but also, politically, in case we can’t do one or the other. That’s the reality of now; things are very dynamic,” she commented.
“But also it’s such a cool time to do something so hopeful. To have a big dream and show that women are capable of this kind of thing.”
Wilcox truly believes there are more women like her out there, and it’s down to a lack of visibility and access that we don’t see more women taking on big endeavours such as these.
“I think more women can [do this]. If they see that I’m trying to do this, they’re like, maybe I could do something like that. Just go for it. We don’t always have examples of that. Growing up, we didn’t have that.”
Is this even possible?
(Image credit: Lael Wilcox / Rugile Kaladyte)
As with her 2024 record ride, Wilcox will be joined by her wife, Rue Kaladyte, a professional photographer and videographer. Kladyte’s full-length documentary about that ride, Lael Rides Around the World, premiered on YouTube this week after a tour of independent theatres in North America and Europe.
“ The last ride was beautiful. It was great for shooting, but it’s not good for racing,” Kaladyte acknowledged. And while the film celebrates a global cycling community and seeing the world on two wheels, she remarked that it may not always paint a full picture of Wilcox.
“I think people get a misconception about Lael ’cause she’s always smiling and happy, and I know that they think she’s a serious athlete, but they think that it’s easy for her or something,” she said. The coverage to come out of the next attempt will likely be very different. One of grit, determination and the suffering required to untake these herculean adventures, Wilcox likes to much.
“The story for next year, it’s more about like, is this even possible?” Kaladyte said.
Of course, if anyone can pull it off, it’s Lael Wilcox. Not just because she’s strong or fast, but because she has yet to find her own limit. Let alone one assigned by gender.
“There’s a lot of pieces to put together to make it happen,” she said, “but yeah, I think it is [possible]. And I’m turning 40 next year, so why not?”
