June 8, 2026 – A rare event occurred Sunday morning around 11 a.m. as Guinness World Record bicyclist Lael Wilcox, who is attempting to become the fastest person to bicycle around the world, passed through neighboring Ozaukee County on the first day of her tour.
Wilcox, who left the start at Buckingham Fountain in Chicago at 4 a.m., pedaled into Wisconsin, through Racine, Milwaukee, and into Fredonia before noon. Wilcox, 39, needs to average 240 miles a day to break the current record of 78 days, 14 hours, and 40 minutes. Mark Beaumont from Scotland has the current record 18,025 miles in 78 days and 14 hours.
In 2024 Wilcox finished an around-the-world tour, riding 18,125 miles, in 108 days, 12 hours and 12 minutes.
She currently hold the women’s Guinness World Record, but wants to cut that time by nearly 30 days.
Late Sunday, Wilcox was continuing north into Escanaba, MI.
On a side note:
What was it like to catch up with Wilcox? I jumped on my 1982 steel frame Centurion after a 3-mile run with A1 Health & Fitness Sunday run club. Hit the door at 9 a.m. to try to make it to CTH I just east of Newburg, Wi by 10:30 a.m. Wilcox had just cleared Milwaukee but she was averaging 16 mph. Now, 62, I am not averaging 16 mph, nor am I riding a $10,000 bicycle.
Before I left, I crafted a simple sign ‘Go Lael’ and I safety pinned it to the back of my jersey. Kind of like when your kindergarden teacher would send notes home to your mom. I figured if Wilcox came riding up behind me, but had to pass to stay on world-record schedule, she would at least see some local support from the bicycling community.
A quick pedal down Decorah Road into Myra, up through Newburg, a left on Hawthorne Drive and after a couple turns that ends at CTH I. I was early and according to the tracker Wilcox was just clearing the Port Washington area. CTH I is pretty busy, so after pedaling that a couple times while waiting I thought it best to meet her on CTH O… which was a real country road with much less traffic.
I had all my questions prepared. I figured it would surprise her to find a cyclist alone on a farm road in the Midwest who actually knew what she was doing. I thought for sure she could slow for me for 2 minutes to chat. What a great experience. I was so looking forward to it.
The weather was great and I was about 500 feet down CTH O when this pelaton of about 20 bikers crested a hill like a mob. It all happened right in front of me. I saw her. I tried to cheer, “GO Lael” but my throat was dry and the pelaton noisy and the next thing they were around the corner and out of sight.
I wasn’t even fast enough to turn so she could see my sign. So that plan didn’t go very well… but I feel somewhat vested that I saw a possible future world-record holder pedal down a road near Washington County, Wi.
Click HERE to follow Lael Wilcox and her world-record attempt.
As for me, I pedaled home and took a nap. Good times.
