Mark Beaumont to give free talks on World Cycle Challenge in London, Birmingham and Edinburgh

Round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont is this month giving a series of free talks in which he’ll talk about his epic journey which saw him set a then world record for a circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle of 194 days 17 hours, as well as his next exploit – leading a group of 30 riders in the World Cycle Challenge.

The talks will be held at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh on Thursday 10 November, the McGregor Suite at Villa Park in Birmingham on Monday 14 November, and London’s Conway Hall on Monday 24 November.

Each talk will be followed by Beaumont, whose record was eventually officially eclipsed last year by Vin Cox, signing copies of his book, The Man Who Cycled the World. The book will be available at a discounted price of £5, of which £1 goes to the charity, Cyclists Fighting Cancer.

Full details of the three talks can be found on the World Cycle Challenge website, although organisers point out that spaces are limited, and that if you want two tickets, you have to register twice. Each talk is preceded by welcome drinks.

The World Cycle Challenge itself, which starts in September next year, is a fully supported 18,000-mile ride around the world led by Beaumont himself, with places available on the full trip at a cost of £34,000.

That price includes all food, accommodation in tents and travel where applicable, medical support and insurance, mechanical back-up and provision of specialist equipment such as satellite communications, plus individual training programmes, meaning that all the 30 riders taking part will have to do is focus on the road. Places are also available on individual stages, costing between £1,436 and £9,576.

The World Cycling Challenge was dreamt up by co-directors Crispin Vitoria and Adam Gosling, who took their inspiration from Beaumont's book after they realised that other cyclists wanted to follow in his tracks but found the idea of organising a solo ride with no support too daunting to contemplate.