Sunrises, doughnuts and beer: Lachlan Morton’s epic Australian cycling record push

For 29 days now, Lachlan Morton has had the same focused routine. Get on his bike in the dark then ride for 15 to 18 hours – once even 22 hours – before stopping to sleep in a motel, pub or caravan park cabin.

A professional cyclist who has become well-known for epic endurance rides, the 32-year-old has been aiming to break the Around Australia record – a lap around the country of 14,201 kilometres.

Cyclist Lachlan Morton with a map of his Around Australia record attempt that started and will finish in his home town Port Macquarie.Credit: Karter Machen/Marija Ercegovac

His progress has left cycling fans around the world, who are following his progress on a tracking map, in awe.

Having started in his home town of Port Macquarie and headed north through Queensland then west to the Northern Territory, Morton, who rides for the EF Pro Cycling team, has averaged 490 kilometres a day.

He has regularly started cycling at 2.30am after six hours’ sleep. His longest day has been 610 kilometres.

On day 29, after riding for a while on quieter back roads instead of highways, Morton made up time by starting at 1.30am.

“The sunrises and sunsets up north in the outback were pretty incredible”: Lachlan Morton on his epic ride.Credit: Karter Machen

His long-time coach Graham Seers, who is among friends and family supporting the ride in a campervan, believes he is on track to smash the record of 37 days, 20 hours by five or six days.

But Morton wasn’t thinking that far ahead during a wheel change and quick snack – doughnuts, a sausage roll and a honey cinnamon roll – just outside Wagga Wagga on Thursday morning.

“I’m always driven by pushing myself in incredible landscapes over big distances,” he said. “I couldn’t tell you what day we’re on or how many Ks to go. I just focus on whatever I’m doing. Each day is hard enough without adding on the pressure of trying to ride at a certain speed.”

While his wife Rachel is part of the support crew, the lonely hours on the road have been memorable for the sights Morton has seen.

“Some of the night riding and sunrises and sunsets up north in the outback were pretty incredible,” he said. “I had some hours of riding that I’ll never forget, moments I’ll really cherish.

“I’ve [also] had days when I’ve ridden 18 or 20 hours into a headwind – I’ve had to go to some pretty deep and dark spots to get through – but you know when you sign up there are going to be hard moments.

“The rewards show themselves each day in some way. Some days it’s just some really nice warm people with a pub who cook you a meal and get you a beer.”

Seers said Morton had exceeded his expectations despite contending with temperatures that have ranged from 3 to 37 degrees, and school holiday traffic.

“I’ve known him from when he was a kid and he’s always had a go, but here he’s going up another level,” he said. “I’ve thrown the coaching book away. You’re always concerned about riders’ health and safety, but he just wants to keep going.”

On the toughest day so far, Morton had to change routes after three narrow misses with trucks heading out of Adelaide. When a back road track turned to deep sand, he was forced to walk his bike as the sun set.

He has still averaged almost 31km/h around the country.

Lachlan Morton on the road. Credit: Karter Machen

Morton, who has raised almost $80,000 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation so far, is expected to reach Sydney on Friday morning or lunchtime, via an overnight stop in Wollongong.

Just as has happened around the country, so-called “dot watchers” (cycling fans who have been following his progress on the tracking map) are expected to ride for a few kilometres with him to share the experience.

After the pain of “a couple of Achilles issues” early on the ride, Morton said he was feeling good.

“Obviously pretty tired, pretty sore,” he said. “I’m finally at the stage where I’m ready to be off the bike but I’m still going. As long as the legs keep turning, I’ll be fine.”

Morton has become a specialist in ultra-endurance rides.

In 2021, he raised more than $700,000 for World Bicycle Relief by riding more than 5500 kilometres over every stage of the Tour de France, plus transfers between stages, without support. He started in Brittany on the same day as the race and beat the peloton to Paris by five days.

Two years ago he raised more than $250,000 for Ukrainian refugees by riding more than 1000 kilometres from Munich to the Polish border in 42 hours.

Around Australia is reputedly the country’s most prestigious distance cycling record. When Arthur Richardson did it in 1899, it took him 245 days. The record holder is Dave Alley, who took 37 days, 20 hours, 45 minutes in 2011.

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