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An Irish rider has broken a world climbing record despite having been hit by a driver in a truck and losing one of his glute muscles nine years ago.
Alan Colville, from Fethard in Co Tipperary, has broken the record for the most climbing in a two-hour period, with his achievement now ratified by the ‘Guinness Book of World Records’.
The old world record for “the most vertical metres cycled in 48 hours” was last set in 2015.
He rode 30,321.18m in Powys, Wales, in a 48-hour period spanning September 19th to 21st but has only now had his incredible new record ratified by the Guinness Book of World Records.
It took a significant team effort to break the record. While Colville was on the bike he was accompanied at times by friends while kit (left) was set up to record what he was doing and all the data so the record would be ratified. He also had significant help by the roadside from Team JMC, his cycling club in England where he lives, with that help remaining through the nights (All photos by Anthony Pease)
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In setting his new world record Colville beat the elevation set by 26-year-old Californian, Craig Cannon, who did 29,624m in 48 hours back in 2015.
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Colville took on a 10 per cent climb on the B4519 near Llangammarch Wells in Wales and rode a total distance of 617km, doing 170 laps up and down the same stretch of climb.
On the way he also completed a triple Everesting, but the world record was his main aim and he achieved that, supported by his club Team JMC.
Colville, who is aged 49 years and is now based in the UK, suffered a horrendous crash back in 2011 when he was hit by the driver of a truck while he was cycling to work.
He suffered a double back break, lacerated kidney and liver and lost his right glute. Such was the damage from his crash that the muscle in his buttock could not be rescued or rebuilt.
He had been riding XC MTB at the time and had regularly placed in Masters races in the UK. While the crash meant he was no longer able to race at the same level, once he got back on his feet he continued to cycle.
Since the crash he has embraced the moniker of the “half-arsed racer” and even uses it for his Twitter account. He said breaking the world record helped him draw a line under his crash and the injuries he suffered.
We’ll have a proper chat with Colville
in coming days.
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