Endurance cyclist Jacob Zurl world record non-stop cycle across Cuba

Austrian endurance cyclist Jacob Zurl completed a world record establishing non-stop cycle across Cuba in April 2017.  Here is some details and a quote from Jacob.

Wednesday 19 April at 12.00 (7am local time) Jacob starts at Punta de Maisi accompanied by a support car, a rescue vehicle and several police cars. All times ate British Summer Time (BST)
18:34  The countdown is on! We have just received the first message from Jacob. After 4.5 hours he is approaching Guantanamo. Weather - pouring rain.
21:51  The support vehicle gets a flat tire
23:16  Jacob is between Santiago and Holguin and has been  9,5 hours on the road, including four hours in the rain. There was a small time loss of 20 minutes due to a necessary maintenance on his brakes. The team is soaked, but in a good mood.



Thursday 20 April  9.00 Meanwhile the sun has also risen in Cuba. The rain stopped at night. Jacob has been on the road for more than 24 hours and is currently about 40km from Ciego de Avila. He has not slept and is fighting tiredness.
17.23 After 27 hours, Jacob is nearly half way there without sleeping. As his muscles are hurting he makes two short stops for a massage. Its is 26 ° C and humid.
21.00 After 32 hours cycling Jacob still has not slept and is on schedule. He just after Santa Clara with a temperature of 29 ° C.


Friday 21 April  8.00 Jacob is struggling. After about 39 hours the tiredness hast increased and is nodding off and having some hallucinations. The support teams helps him with loud music and encouraging. He is still on schedule.
9am Currently, Jacob is located 1,100km south of Havana. Local time 3 o'clock. The road surface is bad so handlebar is coning loss regularly.
12.30 pm Jacob is on the "home straight"and he has had two short sleeping stops. He is a bit behind in the schedule.
19.00  Things are getting very hard for Jacob. He had to vomit but now feels better. There are still 140km to the finish line.
Jacob finishes 23.19 (local time 18:19) at Cabo de San Antonio after 58h 48min in the saddle.


Speaking aout the record Jacob said:
"I am extremely grateful that I finally finished this project. I did not once think about giving up. Because my parents and my girlfriend have spend their time, the Cuban ambassador in Austria, the Cuban government with the institutions of the Ministry of Sport, the friendship of the peoples and the cycling association gave me their confidence. The most difficult moment was when I got hallucinations in the second night and I have fallen into micro-sleeps again and again. weather has been extremely demanding. There was everything from pouring rain to extreme heat.  I am overwhelmed by the participation and support of the Cuban people in my island traverse. The continuous ambulance and police guidance was great. The next project is still written in the stars. Now it's time to relax and enjoy Cuba"

Here is media coverage about this

24 April 2017 


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