7 DAY WONDER
CYCLING WEEKLY|October 14, 2021
Weekly mileage is a fixation for many a cyclist but Josh Quigley has taken it to a new level. He tells James Shrubsall how he did more than anyone has ever done in seven days
James Shrubsall
7 DAY WONDER

Three hours’ sleep a night and the odd McDonald’s – it’s amazing what you can get away with during a record-breaking endurance feat on the bike. It worked for new seven-day mileage Guinness World Record holder Josh Quigley though. He was indeed sleep-deprived and, yes, his crew even popped to the Golden Arches for him as he rode to an impressive 2,179 miles in a week last month.

Riding a 65-mile out-and-back course between Peterculter and Ballater in Aberdeenshire, Quigley averaged 311 miles a day on the bike, riding from around 4am till midnight and sometimes later, averaging around 16mph. He beat the previous record, held by Australian Jack Thomson, by 2.66 miles, also becoming the youngest rider to have held the record, at 29 years old.

After seven days and hundreds of hours of riding, it was a small margin to finish with, but after attempting the record back in April and having to pull out near the end due to a knee injury, Quigley simply wanted the record beaten – by how much was immaterial, he says.

“Going into this thing, if you’d said, ‘The record’s 2,177, I’ll offer you 2,178 right now,’ I’d have absolutely took that off you. I didn’t care if I beat it by 10 miles, 100 miles, 50 miles, I just wanted to beat it. All I wanted to do was beat it because of what happened the first time.”

As someone who was not only a non-cyclist seven years ago but had just attempted suicide after struggling with depression, Josh Quigley has come a hell of a long way (see box).

Denne historien er fra October 14, 2021-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra October 14, 2021-utgaven av CYCLING WEEKLY.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA CYCLING WEEKLYSe alt
"We tore around the Sydney suburbs at 60kph in a terrifying, feral pack"
Cycling Weekly

"We tore around the Sydney suburbs at 60kph in a terrifying, feral pack"

Fast, furious and furry tales from Australia

time-read
3 mins  |
October 17, 2024
RIDDEN AND REVIEWED BROMPTON G LINE £2,499
Cycling Weekly

RIDDEN AND REVIEWED BROMPTON G LINE £2,499

A Brompton for running riot in both town and country

time-read
4 mins  |
October 17, 2024
How do different gravel conditions impact your tyre choice?
Cycling Weekly

How do different gravel conditions impact your tyre choice?

There are a myriad of tyres on the market but selecting the right one is easier than you think

time-read
3 mins  |
October 17, 2024
FEAST OF SWEDEN
Cycling Weekly

FEAST OF SWEDEN

Soon after landing in Gothenburg, I began to realise how little I knew about Sweden.

time-read
6 mins  |
October 17, 2024
THE WORLD'S GREATEST GRAVEL EVENTS
Cycling Weekly

THE WORLD'S GREATEST GRAVEL EVENTS

Globe-trotting gravel racer Joe Laverick chooses his eight favourite events, from coastal Wales to the wilds of Kenya

time-read
7 mins  |
October 17, 2024
THE CALL OF THE WILD
Cycling Weekly

THE CALL OF THE WILD

Tempted to embark on a long-distance bike adventure? Let former round-the-world record holder and author Julian Sayarer inspire you to strike out and hit the road

time-read
7 mins  |
October 17, 2024
Saint Piran accused of using non-UCI legal bikes
Cycling Weekly

Saint Piran accused of using non-UCI legal bikes

Cornish team also alleged to owe former staff tens of thousands of pounds

time-read
3 mins  |
October 17, 2024
JOE LAVERICK GETTING INTO THE FEED ZONE
Cycling Weekly

JOE LAVERICK GETTING INTO THE FEED ZONE

I've ridden through hundreds of feed zones in my time racing a bike.

time-read
1 min  |
October 17, 2024
Lowden not ready to stop after retirement
Cycling Weekly

Lowden not ready to stop after retirement

Former Hour record holder eyes UK time trial scene

time-read
2 mins  |
October 17, 2024
Pogačar makes history (again) at Lombardia
Cycling Weekly

Pogačar makes history (again) at Lombardia

Slovenian makes it four in a row at the late-season Italian Monument

time-read
3 mins  |
October 17, 2024