On 27 September, Matt Downie broke Mark Beaumont’s North Coast 500 record by an hour and five minutes, setting a new time for the 500-mile route at 27 hours, 30 minutes, zero seconds. The record is still pending confirmation from the World Ultra Cycling Association, but we can be sure of one thing: this fresh-faced newcomer is about to raise the bar for ultra-distance cycling.
GCN spoke to Downie to find out more about how the challenge came about, the ups and downs of the ride itself, and what the future might hold.
