Record-breaking endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont has insisted his “wanderlust is definitely cured for a while” after becoming the fastest rider to bike the 6,750-mile length of Africa.
The 32-year-old adventurer last month completed the trip from Cairo to Cape Town in 41 days 10 hours and 22 minutes, smashing the previous record by more than two weeks.
The Scot overcame mechanical problems, an attempted mugging and food poisoning on the way to grabbing the ultra-endurance record.
It marked a third major achievement for the Perthshire-based cyclist, who is also the fastest person to cycle around the world and across the Americas.
Beaumont said it feels “incredible” to have completed the epic trek and to have secured official confirmation of his latest world record.
Speaking at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, he said: “I feel a lot of relief. I put a lot of pressure on myself when I take on these big expeditions.
“It’s not just my dream, there’s a lot of backing from sponsors, the media’s excited, tens of thousands of people are following online, and there’s a belief that I’ll just go out there and do it. It’s tough, so when I get to the finishing line it’s just an incredible relief to do it.”
The Africa trip followed seven months of training with the Scottish cycling squad in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow, building up his power and speed.
After leaving Cairo on April 10, Beaumont maintained an average of 150 miles per day through challenging conditions and terrain, journeying through countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana before reaching South Africa.
Ultimately, he shaved 17 days off the existing record of 59 days for the Africa Solo challenge.
The trip has already raised more than £30,000 for Orkidstudio, a Glasgow humanitarian design group which works on construction projects to benefit communities across the world.
“My plan was always to set the world record at a totally new level,” Beaumont said.
“It’s always about trying to figure out what my personal best is, to go as fast as I can physically and mentally, just really push myself to the limit. You’re not racing anyone else out there, you’re racing yourself.”
The cyclist was alone throughout the trip apart from when he had an armed escort in northern Kenya, and the six occasions he was joined by film crews along the way.
He described Africa as an “incredible, welcoming and diverse” continent and said the friendliness of the people he met along the way has stuck in his memory.
Beaumont said: “You’ve got the Sahara Desert – beautiful great roads but sandstorms and searing heat. From there you rise up into the Ethiopian highlands with broken roads, dirt roads, rainy season.
“I got food poisoning, which is the toughest to ride through. When you’re being ill and you’re still trying to push 200+ kilometres on the bike, that’s mentally very, very tough.
“Further south, the real highlights were the wildlife. In northern Botswana, cycling past elephants that were five metres away on the roadside, giraffes cantering along beside me. The expanse out there is staggering and absolutely beautiful.
“All the way through, there were just really amazing, friendly people. I never had to pitch my tent, I always had the friendship of strangers. I would pedal into any village and town and be put up and looked after and given food. I’m not sure that would happen back here in Europe. It was a very warm reception.”
The key piece of equipment for the trip was his carbon bike with electronic gears and hydraulic brakes, which carried around 8kg of kit.
“A lot of people said I was crazy to go to deepest Africa on a race bike like that, but you’ve got to take risks if you want to go fast,” said Beaumont.
“I was taking no luxuries – the clothes I was standing in and one spare set, a few bits to fix the bike and a camera. That was it.”
Despite such a memorable experience, the cyclist said he is just “loving being home” right now.
He said: “I’ve got a young daughter so there’s no wish to head back off. My wanderlust is definitely cured for a while.
“But I’m sure come the end of the year and 2016 I’ll be looking forward to getting back on the bike and setting another big target for next year.
“But right now I’ll enjoy some cycling in Scotland.”