IT worker cycles entire length of India in record-breaking time
An IT worker from India has set a world record by cycling the entire length of his country in just 13 days, beating the previous record by one day.
Gopikrishnan Kesavan, 27, rode the renowned ‘K2K’ route from Kashmir in north India to Kanyakumari Beach at the country’s southernmost tip, covering a total of 3,641 km (2,262 mi).
His journey was unsupported, meaning he didn’t have a team following behind to provide him food, carry his supplies or drive him to a hotel at the end of each day.
Gopi relied only on himself, stopping at roadside restaurants and tea shops to eat, and sometimes sleeping inside them if he couldn’t find a room for the night.
His official record title is the fastest unsupported India N-S crossing by standard bicycle.
What an incredible unsupported record attempt on India's famous K2K route! - Larry Oslund, Record Chair of the World Ultra Cycling Association
Gopi cycled across a variety of terrains and climates. His journey took him through notable states and cities such as Punjab, New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Nagpur, Hyderabad, and his home state of Tamil Nadu.
“It is incredible for any rider to cross cities that hold historical importance and monuments within India during the K2K ride,” Gopi said.
“Riding this scenic route is a herculean task and a dream come true ride for any cyclist who is a passionate endurance rider.”
Gopi typically cycled for 18 hours per day, using the remaining six to sleep and eat.
He said the biggest challenges were finding food and dealing with the weather, which ranged from frigid temperatures up north to sweltering heat down south.
Every day threw something new his way, such as day six which he spent carefully cycling through a misty forest in the morning, then avoiding a lorry accident during the day, before ending his 17-hour ride by sleeping in a liquor shop.
Fortunately, Gopi didn’t lose much weight or suffer any injuries during his gruelling record attempt.
However, for the following two days, he says his body “hallucinated” the feeling of wearing his bicycle helmet and glasses.
Having only started long-distance cycling in 2021, Gopi is overjoyed to now hold a world record.
He said: “After reading about the K2K, I was dreaming about this ride within myself and was completely submerged with that ambition.
“It's a prestigious moment in my life as a village person like me holding the Guinness World Records title.”
If you love watching records being broken you should check out our Records Weekly series on YouTube...
Want more? Follow us on Google News and across our social media channels to stay up-to-date with all things Guinness World Records! You can find us on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Snapchat Discover.
Don't forget to check out our videos on YouTube and become part of our group chat by following the Guinness World Records WhatsApp channel.
Still not had enough? Click here to buy our latest book, filled to the brim with stories about our amazing record breakers.