Northcape 4000
JULY 2021
4,500 km
"Stéven Le Hyaric breaks the record for the NorthCape4000 ultra endurance race
From Lac de Garde in Rovereto, Italy, via Poland, to the North Cape in Norway, Stéven Le Hyaric crisscrossed eleven European countries by bike during his new challenge: the NorthCape4000 ultra endurance race. For ten days, the adventurer traveled in total autonomy with an average of 448 kilometers of saddle per day. A certain daily rigor which allowed him to arrive first in the race and to crush the previous record for the event by nearly 24 hours.
A difficult start
If the Frenchman positions himself among the top 5 from the first kilometers, he quickly faces certain difficulties. “At the start of the route, in Italy, I got really hot,” says the cyclist. The first day I was very sick and thought it was the end for me. But, a small internal voice kept telling me not to stop and to continue to catch up. “Riding as many kilometers as possible then becomes the main strategy for Stéven, who only slept “what is necessary” to stay in the running.
It was during the long and deserted Finnish crossing that the Ile-de-France competitor finally regained the advantage. “One evening, it was very hard for everyone, remembers Stéven, who for his part refused to be defeated. I decided to indulge myself and stop at a small fast food restaurant to eat a pizza. Then I left and rode non-stop all night. “As time went by, the cyclist saw the beacons of his competitors stop, which allowed him to regain control of the race.
A journey under the sign of autonomy
In preparing for the race, Le Hyaric had equipped himself to sleep under the stars and face the harsh temperatures of the north. His saddle bag was loaded with shorts, jersey, pairs of socks, and a down jacket - noticeably missing was a tent because “it would have weighed me down,” he explains. My bike already weighed over twenty kilos. The idea was not to waste too much time during meal breaks, to avoid technical problems, and to have everything I needed with me. "
"It's not easy to ride at night and resist"
Tired, some of his competitors crack up after a few days and decide to sleep in a hotel. “At the beginning, the Germans were stronger physically. But those who left too quickly began to lose power after 1,000 kilometers. The Frenchman rests only 40 minutes and resumes his route. “It's not easy to ride at night and resist,” he says. But I knew how to listen to my body and see when I was not sleepy. "
Excited to ride to the North Cape, in Norway, the cyclist maintains an iron motivation: “During the last 200 kilometers, I expected only one thing: to cross Lofoten with the midnight sun." A permanent sun allowed him to ride the final 48 hours non-stop and complete a day of 700 kilometers. After 10 days and pedaling 4480 kilometers, Le Hyaric is the first to cross the finish line in Norway and smashes the previous race record.
In the coming months, the extreme adventurer hopes to travel to the Simpson deserts in Australia and Gobi deserts in Mongolia, depending on the evolution of the health situation. “I have lots of projects planned for the future. It's also possible that I'll go near the pole of the Arctic Circle again to test myself, he hopes. You really shouldn't hesitate to follow your dreams ... dreams do come true ... be proud of yourself. "
- The Team
THE RACE
4,500 kilometers that connects Lago di Garda in Italy and the North Cape of Norway.
A bicycle race without assistance, to connect the North Pole as quickly as possible through checkpoints:
Lago di Garda: departure
Balaton: CP 1
Krakow: CP 2
Riga: CP 3
Rovaniemi: CP 4
North Pole: arrival
