Mark Beaumont has smashed the Cairo-to-Cape Town cycling record, completing the trip in just 42 days and beating the previous best time by more than two weeks.
The Scot took 16 days off the existing record of 59 days and eight hours for the 10,000 km (6,200 mile)“Africa Solo” challenge, slashing the time set earlier this year by the South African rider Keegan Longueira.
Beaumont’s journey, during which he overcame mechanical problems and an attempted mugging, beat even his personal target of 50 days.
He left Cairo on April 10, maintaining an average of 150 miles per day through countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana before reaching South Africa.
Beaumont completed an 18,000 mile round-the-world race in 2008, beating the record by