Mark Cavendish and Luke Rowe complete Everest rides on Zwift

The former team-mates seek pain in order to keep themselves entertained during lockdown
Jonny Long

Mark Cavendish and Luke Rowe have been keeping themselves busy during lockdown by completing a virtual Everesting on Zwift.

The former team-mates spent more than 10 hours in the saddle as they ascended 8,848m, the height of Everest, in the Zwift virtual world.

In total, the pair rode 211km in a time of 10 hours 37 minutes and 32 seconds, with Cavendish saying afterwards: “We had the idea when we knew the weather would be bad. I take my hat off to anyone who’s completed it in whatever capacity, it was grim.”

Cavendish and Rowe aren’t the only ones to try this challenge, with other riders, both professional and amateur, attempting to vEverest.

>>> ‘No one has ever lived through a season like this’: How pro riders are dealing with lockdown

Trek-Segafredo’s Giulio Ciccone managed to climb 10,000m in 237km last month, losing 2.1kg and consuming 9,000 calories during the ordeal.

However, one amateur from a London cycling club, albeit a former 12-hour TT champion, beat Ciccone’s time during a club climbing challenge to raise money for the NHS.

Alice Lethbridge of Kingston Wheelers became the fastest woman to complete a virtual Everesting on the Alpe du Zwift by setting a time of nine hours and 24 minutes and hadn’t even thought of attempting the virtual Everesting when she started the charity ride.

Two other riders also completed Everesting rides as the club managed to climb a combined 200,000 metres and raise more than £13,000. One rider, Mark Aldred, was celebrating his birthday on the day of the ride and got a tow on Fabian Cancellara’s wheel on the Alpe du Zwift, while other members saw Mark Cavendish out on the road completing a half-Everest ride, clearly a warm-up for his full Everest a week later.