July 22, 2021, 12:39 pm | Read time: 4 minutes

It took German Dirk Leonhardt seven days to cycle from Maastricht in the Netherlands to Kosovo, crossing 13 other countries along the way. That’s a world record. The Hessian covered more than 2,000 kilometers and climbed 20,000 meters in elevation.

However, it wasn’t necessarily the world record that drove the German to get on his bike. “The focus was on the sport, the journey, and the adventure,” Leonhardt said in a TRAVELBOOK interview. Highlights of his trip included the Ardennes in southern Belgium and the Benelux region, where borders are hardly marked, as the extreme athlete recounted. The Alps and the Croatian hinterland also captivated the 39-year-old on his journey. But the absolute highlight was in the Albanian Alps. He vividly describes the emotional moment he experienced there in a video.

Also interesting: The 6 most bike-friendly cities in Germany

Bicycle World Record Was on the Brink Several Times

The world record was in jeopardy more than once. On the fourth day, the frame of Leonhardt’s bike broke while crossing the Dolomites. A helper from the support team, which assisted the extreme athlete with a support vehicle, saved the world record by lending Leonhardt his own bicycle.

But some border crossings also became problematic. For instance, at the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, the navigation system almost derailed the mission. The road, marked as paved, turned out to be a gravel path. The support vehicle had to take a long detour, and Leonhardt decided to follow the suggested gravel road and push his bike.

Also interesting: The journey is the destination: A bike trip through southern Africa

But the path not only worsened, after hours of delay, water also became scarce. The extreme athlete finally decided to take the same detour over field and farm roads that the support team had taken. Yet the situation remained precarious: Leonhardt had no water left, and the midday heat was intense. “I thought I was going to die of thirst,” he revealed in the TRAVELBOOK interview. Eventually, he reached the vehicle after hours of delay.

But during the world record attempt, the German had to overcome more obstacles. In the video, Leonhardt talks about another border crossing–the last one before the finish line, which almost caused the world record to fall through.

More on the topic

It Took Him 5 Years This Man Travelled from Dresden to Japan by Bicycle

On every continent “Time Out” Names the World’s Most Spectacular Cycling Routes

The Best Destinations for Bicycle Travel

As someone who has just cycled through 15 countries, Leonhardt knows which regions are particularly suitable for a bike trip. He especially recommends the Netherlands and South Tyrol. For those who value good infrastructure while cycling and prefer not to travel too far, staying in the German-speaking region and exploring one’s own homeland is advisable, Leonhardt suggests. Travelers who want to break a sweat and enjoy beautiful landscapes should head to the Alps, according to the extreme athlete. He also has a secret tip from his world record journey: the Balkan region.

Already the Third World Record for the German

This is already the third world record the German has broken. In the summer of 2020, he completed the longest triathlon in history, swimming 200 kilometers, running 1,320 kilometers, and cycling 5,400 kilometers. In 45 days, he completed a 30-fold Ironman, as BILD reported. In the spring of 2021, he set another record: Leonhardt, along with Judith Gebkea Strich, set a world record in non-stop stair climbing. The two covered nearly 10,000 meters of elevation difference in about 26 hours.

The current bicycle world record is unlikely to be Leonhardt’s last. The extreme athlete says he plans to tackle a new water-related project later this year. He is currently aiming for a world record in the 100-meter underwater run.