World-class professional cyclist Jonas Deichmann rode through Vernon last week.
The German rider is biking through B.C. on his way to Alaska to break the work record for riding from the most northern tip of Alaska at the Arctic Ocean to the southern point of Argentina. This is a 23,000 km trip with 210,000 meters of climbing.
鈥淚鈥檓 currently cycling through Canada on my way to Alaska as my training for my world record attempt of Pan-America. In August, I鈥檓 starting at the most northern point of Alaska and then in less than 100 days, ride to the most southern part of Argentina,鈥� Deichmann said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 23,000 km but the main difficulty is more than 200,000 metres of elevation along the Rocky Mountains and the Andes.鈥�
Deichmann met Vernon local Brad Clements in Oregon about a month ago. Knowing he was passing through Vernon, Clements invited him to stay over and take a break from his training. He arrived Thursday afternoon and was back on the road early Saturday morning.
鈥淚 have done about 11,000 km in the past two months and it鈥檚 about another about 3,000 to Alaska and then 10 days of recovery before I start my attempt,鈥� Deichmann said.
But this isn鈥檛 the first record he鈥檚 attempted to break. In fact, just last year Deichmann broke the Eurasia world record. He also has the record for riding across Europe.
All of his rides are unsupported. This means that he does not employ a team to travel with him. He carries all of his luggage with him on his bike, cooks for himself, sets up a tent at night and skips the professional massages that are often employed as members of the support teams of professional athletes like himself.
鈥淭he current trend in cycling has money behind so most people use a support car which gives you an advantage,鈥� he explained. 鈥淏eing unsupported means you鈥檙e 40-50 per cent slower but it鈥檚 more adventure.鈥�
He says the adventure is why he does it.
鈥淚 do this professionally now so basically I do one long distance world record every year and they鈥檙e all unsupported and it鈥檚 a mixture of endurance and adventure,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have a bucket list with a bunch of crazy adventures on it and I plan to do one every year.鈥�
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Deichmann has no plans on slowing down anytime soon and has big plans for the future, though his focus right now is on his upcoming trip.
The current record for the Pan-America year鈥檚 tour is 125 days.
鈥淚 want to be a month faster than that,鈥� he added. 鈥淚鈥檓 really excited and I definitely think it鈥檚 possible.鈥�
He plans to begin this record-breaking attempt on August 18.
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