Race against the clock

Explorer Reza Pakravan set off from the northernmost point in Europe to cycle to the other end of the planet, Cape Town, in record time. With his partner, Steven Pawley, they were attempting to set a world record of just 100 days to do over 11,000 miles, completely unsupported, and they completed the journey in 102 days. Battling against punishing terrain and primitive roads, harsh and debilitating climates, their thrilling journey brought them face to face with some of the world’s most stunning, memorable and volatile regions. Through the expedition, Reza raised over £70k, which resulted in five schools being built through NGO SEED Madagascar.

We found out more about this epic journey…

After finishing your journey, did you initially encounter culture shock on your return?

Yes. It hit my face as soon as I arrived in Heathrow Airport. After 102 days of adrenalin rushes and dealing with uncertainty all the time, I found it difficult to deal with normal life. I was walking down t...