Round-the-world bike race moving closer to reality

It sounds like the ultimate cycle racing adventure and it may well prove to be exactly that.

The Global Bicycle Race is being organised by current Guinness round-the-world cycling record holder Vin Cox who is promoting it as the first ever bike race around the planet, albeit it one without a specified route.

The race is getting ever closer to becoming a reality as more riders register their intention to take part. The latest list of participants can be seen here and while it is so far exclusively male, three women are currently said to be considering taking part.

While one of the suggested routes – through Libya – is already looking dodgy even a year or so out from the proposed February 2012 start date, it will be up to participants themselves to determine exactly how they get around the globe. The requirement is simply for them to cover a minimum of 18,000 miles in one direction and to visit two antipodal points, i.e. places on the opposite side of the world to each other.

For anyone interested and who is within striking distance of London, an event entitled an “evening in a pub"  organised by global cycle tourist Al Humphreys will be an opportunity to hear more about what is involved, meet Vin Cox and some riders who have already signed up to take part.

By the very nature of the event, participants will be able to make an attempt on Vin's current world cycle circumnavigation record of 163 days 6 hours 58 minutes for 18225.7 miles.