The finish line is a wood sign in the middle of the ice: “Arctic Circle”. After two and a half months, our ultra-cyclist Omar Di Felice has completed his Arctic World Tour, reaching Alaska and the signpost at the entrance to the polar region, on the legendary Dalton Highway.
From Kamchatka to Alaska: 4000 km with two world records
Setting off on 2 February from Petropavlovsk-Kamčatskij, on the Kamčatka peninsula, Omar cycled more than 4000 km following the three arctic border lines. Completely alone, without a support team, the Italian athlete crossed Lapland (from Russia’s Murmansk to Norway’s Tromso), Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland’s snowy tracks and Canada from Whitehorse (Yukon region) to Alaska.
During the journey, Omar has already set two world records: he became the first cyclist to cross Kamchatka from south to north (737 km in 5 days and 8 hours) and the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland (224 km in 7 days, 4 hours and 55 minutes), in winter, unsupported. The two records were certified by the International Board of the Record Holders Republic.
An adventure in extreme conditions
In his adventure, Omar had to cope with challenging conditions. Wind, snowstorms and temperatures below minus 30 degrees Celsius added to the tiredness of the many hours in the saddle and the difficulty of the route. The ultra-distance racer rode a gravel bike and a fat bike with sled for the most demanding sections on Svalbard and Greenland.
Supported by UYN clothing
UYN supported Omar Di Felice in his extraordinary adventure with its high-performance technical apparel. From functional underwear to waterproof jackets, the Italian athlete used the products already successfully tested in the previous Himalayan adventure, combining them in an effective layered system.
For the most extreme temperatures, Omar was supported by the innovative arctic suit specifically developed by UYN engineers, which features exceptional thermal capabilities combined with maximum freedom of movement. UYN apparel allowed Omar to continue his adventurous journey around the Arctic world in all environmental conditions.
