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Cyclists

A celebration of women cyclists who push boundaries on two wheels — from classic endurance routes across Britain to world-record rides that inspire adventure, resilience, and freedom.

Cycle from London to Paris in 24 hours

A popular endurance route connecting two iconic capitals, London, UK and Paris, France. The challenge draws cyclists from around the world, testing stamina and speed over roughly 300 miles, often completed in just one day.

Cycle from London to Brighton

 A classic UK cycling challenge covering around 55 miles (88 km) from the capital to the south coast. It’s a favourite first long-distance route for many women taking up endurance cycling, offering a rewarding mix of scenic countryside and coastal views.

LEJOG – Land’s End to John o’ Groats

The traversal of the whole length of the island of Great Britain between two extremities, in the southwest and northeast. There is no continuous long-distance path from Land's End to John o' Groats. 

  • Fastest woman to cycle Land’s End to John o’ Groats — Christina Mackenzie (Scotland) — 51 hrs 5 mins 27 secs — 30 July 2021.

    • Christina broke the women’s record for this historic ride, averaging remarkable speed and consistency across the 874-mile route. Her performance stands as a modern benchmark for endurance cyclists in the UK.

  • Youngest girl to complete Land’s End to John o’ Groats on her own bicycle — Evangeline Towers (UK) — age 10 — 14 August 2020.

    • Evangeline completed the 1,020.74-mile (1,642.72 km) journey over 22 days, cycling alongside her father and uncle. She covered the distance in 110 hours and 5 minutes, becoming the youngest solo girl to achieve the feat.

  • Youngest to complete Land’s End to John o’ Groats on a trailer bike — Rhoda Jones (UK) — age 4 years 4 months — 2 September 2018.

    • Rhoda, cycling on a trailer bike with her parents Katie and Tom Jones, finished the journey in 22 days, 3 hours and 26 minutes. Her sister Ruth Jones (UK), aged 5, completed the same journey earlier and became the fastest on a trailer bike.

 

Famous Routes & Endurance Races

  • First female to win the Transcontinental Race — Fiona Kolbinger (Germany) — 2021

  • First woman to ride the Everest equivalent elevation in 24 hours by bicycle — Sarah Hammond (Australia) — 2014

  • First to cycle the length of the Alps and climb the 8 highest Alpine mountains — Sophie Radcliffe (UK) — 2014

 

More Female Cycling Achievements

  • First woman to win the inaugural Tour de France Femmes — Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands) — 25 years old — July 2022

  • First French woman to win Tour de France Femmes — Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt (France) — 33 years old — 3 August 2025

  • First American to win the Tour de France Féminin — Marianne Martin (USA) — 1984

  • Oldest female to cross the USA east-to-west solo by standard bicycle — Lynn Salvo (USA) — 73 years 359 days — 15 September 2023

  • Fastest female solo 200 km road record by recumbent bicycle — Sandy Earl (USA) — 6 hrs 39 mins 50 secs — 12 March 2023

 

Community & Inspiration

Pushbike Girl – Interviews with Solo Female Cyclists

An inspiring collection of stories from solo female cyclists around the world who travel vast distances, explore new cultures, and challenge what’s possible on two wheels.

Related Tough Girl Podcast Episodes

Veronica White

PhD Student, Cycling 2,000 Miles Across England: Exploring the Future of Farming Through Women’s Perspectives

Dr. Sarah Ruggins

Record-Breaking Endurance Cyclist on Pushing Limits, Managing Pain, and the Power of Aggressive Patience

Sherry Cardona

Ultra Endurance Cyclist and Content Creator – Tackling the Toughest Bikepacking Races

Sami Sauri

Exploring the World Through Multi-Sport Adventures and Creative Storytelling

Vedangi Kulkarni

Round the World (Again): Records, Setbacks & Resilience on Two Wheels

Caroline Livesey

Extreme Triathlete and Elite Gravel Cyclist: Winning Races, Breaking Limits, and Giving Back

Shannon Hogan

Ultra Endurance Athlete & Author of The Unforgiving Hours: The Grit, Resilience, and Perseverance at the Heart of Endurance Sports.

Dr. Susannah O’Sullivan

Teacher, Writer, Activist & Adventurer – From Solo Cycling Across Continents to Empowering Women in Palestine and Beyond

Tiphaine Muller

Alps to Himalayas: Cycling Across Continents & Trekking the Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal

Lis van Lynden

Cycling 5,000 Miles with MS – A Story of Grit, Kindness & Adventure.

Sahir Permall

Sahir Permall – Cycling 2,800 miles Solo from Glasgow to Istanbul & Empowering Women Through Biking.

Caroline Soubayroux

2024 Guinness world record holder for fastest couple circumnavigation by bike. Wife and mother working full-time and striving to inspire the next generation.

Women Who Have Cycled Around The World

Caroline Soubayroux

2024 Guinness world record holder for fastest couple circumnavigation by bike. Wife and mother working full-time and striving to inspire the next generation.

Vedangi Kulkarni

Adventurer and endurance athlete moving into mountain biking and crossing Svalbard on skies.

Susan Doram

Susan Doram - Covert Adventurer, Pfaffing & spending 2.5 years cycling around the world!

Helen Langridge

Cycled LEJOG solo and unsupported in 2015, then in 2017 cycled 30,000km around the world with her future husband Mike.

Claire Wyatt

Passionate about bicycle touring and sharing stories of kindness from around the world. Currently cycling 16,000km around Australia.

Laura Massey-Pugh

Laura Massey-Pugh - ultra/long distance cyclist, planning to break the tandem around the World Record with her husband Stevie in 2022.

Catherine Dixon (Cat) and Rachael Marsden (Raz)

Catherine Dixon (Cat) and Rachael Marsden (Raz) cycling around the world to set a new WR for being the fastest women to circumnavigate on a tandem!

Rachel Yaseen

Rachel Yaseen - 49 year old mother and full time adventurer, cycling the world and living a nomadic lifestyle on her terms.

Laura Massey-Pugh

Her Inspiring Journey Around the World - 180 days on the back of a tandem with her husband. Persevering in the face of challenges and setting a new Guinness World Record.

Helen Dainty

Helen Dainty - Full time global hobo cycling the world on AU$100/week. 5 years in and 58,000 km cycled so far…

Vedangi Kulkarni

The youngest woman to have circumnavigated the world on bicycle. 160 days to pedal 29,000km, across 14 countries!

Jenny Graham

Jenny Graham - Fastest woman to cycle around the world. 18,000 miles, over 4 continents, through 16 countries, completing the trip solo and unsupported in just 124 days!

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