AROUND THE WORLD IN 19 DAYS: Dakar Champion Sam Sunderland Announces World Record Attempt

• Two-time Dakar Rally Champion Sam Sunderland reveals attempt to claim the record for fastest circumnavigation of the world on a motorcycle
• The British Red Bull athlete will need to ride more than the length of the UK every day for 19 days to beat the current record
• During his ultimate adventure, Sunderland will cross over 15 countries, enter 5 continents, and 13 time zones
• Sam departs from London on his Triumph 1200 Rally Explorer this September. Follow his journey across Red Bull UK channels

ATLANTA, GA – July 10, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Two-time Dakar Rally Champion and Red Bull athlete, Sam Sunderland, has revealed his latest sporting mission – to become the fastest person to circumnavigate the globe on a motorcycle.

The British rider has set his sights on breaking the current record of 19 days, 8 hours, and 25 minutes set in 2002. To reach his goal, Sam will need to ride the equivalent of the length of the UK every single day – averaging nearly 1,000 miles daily for 19 days.

The ultimate test of endurance, the challenge is a trial of both physical and mental strength, with Sam battling the elements, road conditions, and unknown terrain. He will enter more than 15 countries across five continents, starting and ending his journey in London, UK.

When talking about the project as an athlete, a champion, and a father, Sam notes the wish to create a legacy that extends beyond the world of rally raid and off-road racing, aiming to inspire people to pursue adventures of their own, and to push past their limits and redefine what they think is possible.

“I know this challenge will test me to the core – physically and mentally,” Sam Sunderland said. The scene of Sam’s previous victories, the Dakar Rally, is known to be the toughest race in the world. It’s mostly off-road, with a total distance of around 5,000 miles. It takes between 10 to 15 days to complete, with competitors riding some 300 to 560 miles per day.

In comparison, to break the world record for the fastest global circumnavigation, Sam is going to need to ride for double the daily mileage of the Dakar, and for an increased number of days. Sam added: “There’ll be days when I’m out there for 15 or 16 hours in the cold and rain, heat and humidity, fighting the wind, battling exhaustion, and the mental fatigue. This, plus jetlag, and crazy time zones – It’s going to be brutal.” Sam is expected to cross 13 different time zones during his journey.

“But that’s exactly why I’m doing it. I thrive on the unknown – figuring things out as I go. I’m not here to just edge past the record. I want to set a new bar, one that makes the next person really earn it, just like I have to now.”

Sunderland’s journey begins in his homeland of England, marking the first leg of a six-stage global adventure. From there, he’ll traverse Europe en route to Turkey, then head into the heart of the Middle East, riding some 1,200 miles from Saudi Arabia to the UAE.

After a long-haul transfer, the expedition continues through the remote outback of Australia and the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand. From there, he’ll head north to tackle the vast terrains of the USA and Canada. His path then leads to Morocco, his gateway into Africa, before looping back into Europe through southern Spain and finally making his sprint home to the UK.

THE CHALLENGE

An epic feat, Sam’s challenge will stay true to the parameters of the record set twenty years ago. Per these conditions, the time he’s trying to beat excludes ocean crossings, during which the official clock is paused.

Tougher still, Sam’s journey must be continuous and follow a single direction around the globe. He must start and finish at the same location, touch two antipodal points (locations on earth that are diametrically opposed to one another), and cover a minimum of 18,000 miles. All this he must do on the same bike – a Triumph 1200 Rally Explorer.

The record Sam is challenging was set by Britons Kevin and Julia Sanders, who hold the official Guinness World Records adjudicated title. Of the feat, Kevin Sanders said: “Records are meant to be broken. We did this more than twenty years ago – Sam’s going to face a whole set of new challenges compared to back then.” The Sanders’ have supported Sam’s feat by providing insight into their record-breaking journey, and the parameters required to make a true circumnavigation. “As people with a business within the motorcycle community, it’s always exciting to see riders take on new challenges, or challenge old ones! We’re really keen to see how Sam does.”

Sam departs this September. Visit RedBull.com to follow the challenge and find out more about what Sam faces on his record attempt.

In support of Sam Sunderland’s attempt to circumnavigate the globe on a Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer, Triumph Motorcycles makes the following statement:

Triumph Motorcycles’ Chief Commercial Officer Paul Stroud commented: “This is a hugely challenging undertaking for Sam and the Red Bull team, who are attempting to beat a record that has remained unbroken for more than twenty years. Sam’s determination and focus will be well matched by the performance and capability of the Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer, which is the ideal ride for such an epic adventure. We wish him every success as he travels across the globe.”

Notes to editors:
View all high-res imagery/video assets and newscut via Red Bull Content Pool Here.

The record Sam is challenging is 19 days, 8 hours and 25 minutes of riding time. The clock stops when he/his bike are transiting over ocean, i.e. when on a plane to his next destination.

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About Michelin

Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies, and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AIbased connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 175 countries and employs 129,800 people.

About Bosch Professional Power Tools

The Robert Bosch Power Tools GmbH, a division of the Bosch Group, is one of the world’s leading providers for power tools, garden tools, power tool accessories and measuring tools. In 2024, its 18,700 associates generated sales* of 5.1 billion euros, about 90 percent of which outside of Germany. With brands such as Bosch and Dremel, the division stands for customer focus and great engineering progress. The core success factors are innovative strength and pace of innovation. In 2025, Bosch Power Tools will again launch more than 100 new products onto the market in its four business segments power tools, outdoor and garden tools, accessories and measuring tools.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch-professional.com/gb/en/, www.bosch-press.com.

About Christopher Ward

Christopher Ward is the UK’s leading mechanical watchmaker. Founded in 2004 with a mission to disrupt the traditional luxury model, the brand turned the industry on its head as the world’s first online-only premium watchmaker – offering hand-crafted, Swiss-made mechanical watches at radically fair prices. Now celebrating its 21st year, Christopher Ward continues to challenge convention, with customers in over 100 countries and a reputation for innovation and audacity. From launching the acclaimed Calibre SH21 – the first commercially viable mechanical movement from a British brand in over half a century – to lifting the lid on the industry in a no-holds-barred documentary (Freewheelin’), Christopher Ward remains a bold force reshaping modern horology.

ABOUT TRIUMPH

First established in 1902, Triumph Motorcycles celebrated 120 years of motorcycle manufacture in 2022. For more than three decades, Triumph Motorcycles has been based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and has produced iconic bikes that perfectly blend authentic design, character, charisma, and performance.

A GLOBAL BRITISH SUCCESS STORY

• Record global sales of 134,635 motorcycles were delivered in 2024, through a network of 950 dealers in 68 countries, confirming Triumph Motorcycles’ position as the largest British motorcycle manufacturer.
• Triumph currently employs around 3,000 personnel worldwide and has subsidiary operations in the UK, North America, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Sweden (Scandinavia), Benelux, Brazil, China, and Thailand as well as a network of independent distributors. Triumph has manufacturing facilities in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and Thailand plus CKD facilities in Brazil and India.

A WORLD-CLASS RANGE

• With a laser-sharp focus on what riders across the world are looking for, a passion to deliver the perfect ride for every customer, and attention to detail that delivers the highest quality motorcycles, Triumph offers a growing range of category-leading motorcycles spanning Modern Classics, Roadsters and Adventure bikes. From the accessible Speed 400cc TR series to the Rocket 3 with its powerful 2500cc engine, every model exemplifies Triumph’s iconic style, quality and performance.
• Delivering a fun, agile and confidence-inspiring ride for riders of all ages and experience levels, the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400 X launched in 2023 with a brand-new single engine platform (TR Series), representing incredible value for money and bringing Triumph to a whole new generation of riders.
• The Modern Classics feature Triumph’s legendary Bonneville twin engine. Famously named to celebrate Triumph’s 1956 land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, the Bonneville was the original British superbike and a race-winner straight out of the crate, chosen by famous motorcyclists of the past for its handling, style, and character. Now, the Bonneville family has evolved, with rider-focused technology and cool custom style. The Bonneville range includes the Bonneville Bobber, Speedmaster, Thruxton RS, Speed Twin 900, Speed Twin 1200, Scrambler 900, Scrambler 1200 and the iconic Bonneville T120 and T100.
• The Roadsters start with the agile and popular Trident 660 and sporty Daytona 660 then the Street Triple 765, and finally the Speed Triple 1200 RS. For adventure riders, Triumph has a complete line-up of epic Tigers, starting with the Tiger Sport 660 and Tiger Sport 800, moving up to the Tiger 900 range, and finally to the Tiger 1200 range.
• In 2023 Triumph officially claimed the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for ‘The greatest distance travelled on a motorcycle in 24 hours (individual)’. Riding a factory-specification Tiger 1200 GT Explorer on the High-Speed Ring at the Nardò Technical Center in Italy, 5x Enduro World Champion and Triumph Global Ambassador Iván Cervantes travelled more than 4012km in a 24-hour period, beating the previous record of 3406km by a huge margin of more than 600km.

TRIUMPH RACING

• Triumph has a glorious racing history, competing in and winning races in almost every class and field of motorcycle sporting achievement. From winning the second ever Isle of Man TT in 1908, through to 1960s road and track success in Europe and America, right up to contemporary racing achievements with the Triumph triple powered 2014 and 2015 SuperSport titles and World SuperSport racing, Isle of Man SuperSport TT wins in 2014 and 2019, courtesy of Gary Johnson and Peter Hickman, plus an average speed of over 130mph 2023 by Peter Hickman on his Triumph STR765, and a thrilling last-lap victory at the legendary Daytona 200 by Brandon Paasch on the Street Triple 765 in 2022.
• Triumph’s racing legend continues as the exclusive engine supplier to the FIM Moto2™ World Championship since the start of the 2019 season. Triumph Motorcycles provides all the teams with race-tuned 765cc triples, each of which is based on the class-leading Street Triple RS powerplant. Redefining the class, Triumph broke record after record in the inaugural year, including the first ever +300km/h Moto2™ top speed. Reflecting these great successes, the wonderful feedback, and partnerships that Triumph have had with the riders and their teams, and the incredible response from Triumph fans across the world, Triumph and Dorna, decided to extend the relationship in 2021 and again in 2023, signing a new contract for another five years of racing: 2025 – 2029.
• Triumph is working with PTR Triumph Factory Racing  to participate in the 2025 World Supersport Championship. Tom Booth-Amos and Oli Bayliss are racing on the Street Triple 765. Macadam Triumph Factory Racing continues with British Supersport riders Luke Stapleford (2024 vice-champion) and Max Wadsworth.
• In the National Sportbike Championship, the team has a four rider lineup on the Daytona 660; Brodie Gawith, Jayden Martin, Katie Hand and Lewis Smart.
• In 2023, Triumph announced its intention to compete in the 2024 MXGP/MX2 and SuperMotocross World Championships, and after a successful first season, has a four-rider team for 2025. Jalek Swoll, Austin Forkner, Jordon Smith, Stilez Robertson are racing for the British manufacturer, competing on both coasts of Supercross and the full Pro Motocross series with the TF 250-X. In the FIM MX2 World Championship Camden McLellan is competing for a second year aboard Triumph machinery, alongside Guillem Farres. Mikkel Haarup remains as a test rider (due to age restrictions in the MX2 category).
• In September 2024 Triumph revealed Motorsport legend and former world champion Paul Edmondson has officially been appointed Team Manager of Triumph Racing’s enduro programme, which will see the brand represented at the highest levels of enduro competition worldwide. In 2025, Jonny Walker took 2nd place overall in the SuperEnduro World Championship on his TF 250, and finished the 2025 Red Bull Erzbergrodeo on a near-standard TF 250-E four-stroke. Racing for Triumph in EnduroGP aboard the TF 250-E, is the experienced duo of Jamie McCanney and Mikael Persson.

Source: Triumph Motorcycles America Ltd

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