Congratulations to Michael Swift for setting a new record for the Paris, France to Lisbon, Portugal in these categories: Solo, Male (18-49), unsupported, upright bike.

Michael also set 2 embedded records during the main attempt:

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela to São Bento Palace, Lisbon

Record Attempt Name: Paris to Lisbon, Capital-to-Capital, Solo and Unsupported

Name of Rider(s): Michael Swift

Start Date and Start Time: 24 Jan 2026, 9:23 AM (CET)

Exact Start Location: Assemblée nationale (Palais Bourbon), Paris, France (48.8619° N, 2.3186° E)

Finish Date and Finish Time: 17 March 2026, 2:17 PM (WET)

Exact Finish Location: São Bento Palace, Lisbon, Portugal (38.7126° N, 9.1539° W)

Actual Miles: 1653.0

Name of (all) Officials/Crew: None. (Solo Unsupported Attempt). Larry Oslund (WUCA Records Chair) acting as Official of Record.

  1. Why did you want to do this record?

I chose this challenge to raise funds for the Leukaemia Foundation in Australia. Connecting these two capital cities also provided an opportunity to explore historical sites and to meet people from diverse regions and cultures.

  1. What equipment did you use? (Bike, components, etc.)

I cycled on a gravel bike. I carried my tools and equipment in a frame bag and kept my extra clothing in a backpack.

  1. What did you eat & drink?

While cycling, my staples were bananas and bread rolls, and I relied on village taps for drinking water.

  1. What was the best part?

The most rewarding part was speaking with people from local communities and hearing their stories. Another highlight was reaching Cabo Fisterra; looking out over the Atlantic from this rocky Galician peninsula – which the Romans once considered the edge of their known world – was a very memorable moment.

  1. What was the hardest part?

The hardest part was crossing the Pyrenees. Ascending the mountain passes in wet, winter conditions was quite challenging.

  1. Did anything particularly unusual happen?

The journey went relatively smoothly, and I did not experience anything too far out of the ordinary.