Woman prepares for Antarctica cycling record

A woman who plans to cycle across the Antarctic is one step closer to her goal after completing a gruelling 400km “training run” in freezing Greenland.

Expedition Cyclist, Dr. Kate Leeming announced yesterday her safe return from the expedition, having set off in the first week of May. Leeming hopes to become the first person to successfully cross the South Pole by bike, something others have attempted but so far failed to achieve. 

In a video teaser, by Claudio von Planta, Leeming can be seen riding the world’s first all-wheel drive fat bike, testing both herself and her equipment in freezing conditions ahead of the Antarctic challenge.​

She says: “I wanted to make this trip through Greenland a really good physical test to really prepare myself for Antarctica but also I want to understand how much my body will take.”

Here's an image from our successful Greenland training run with Tangent Expeditions. More to come soon. @vonplanta pic.twitter.com/ZVO7cHaPkP

— Kate Leeming (@leeming_kate) May 15, 2016

Australian Leeming is wearing custom-designed clothing and boots which, along with the bike, made by Steve Christini, are designed to withstand the extreme weather conditions, which can be seen in the blizzard she and her film makers encountered in Greenland.

She said: “Several people have tried to cycle to the South Pole, no-one has yet succeeded. This bike, I believe, will give me the opportunity to succeed and be the first person to cycle to the South Pole."

https://t.co/aVwf7zwk1S The blizzard has set in. Can't wait to get going, but the weather is the boss. @vonplanta @CharityMiles @IMBIKEMAG

— Kate Leeming (@leeming_kate) May 2, 2016

This is the latest in Leeming’s Breaking the Cycle series and she hopes to raise money and awareness of issues around poverty, following her previous first-hand experiences from expeditions in Africa.

Through her foundation, which is in development, she will raise funds for initiatives to tackle poverty and community development.

 Britain's Maria Leijerstram becomes first person to cycle to South Pole

In 2013 Great Britain’s Maria Leijerstram became the first person to cycle to the South Pole, riding a recumbent fat trike 400 miles to her destination. Like Leeming, Leijerstram’s expedition was years in the making.