Britain's Maria Leijerstram becomes first person to cycle to South Pole

My general attitude (to all those 'sportives' for example) is it doesn't really count as a bike ride unless it starts at your own front door. To me, driving or using some other motorised transport to the start point is like driving to the gym.

Though it might be a bit harsh to apply that to this case.

(And, as with all these sorts of things, mountain climinbing, round-the-world yachting, etc, I neither feel like singing her praises nor sneering - she set herself a personal challenge, and she accomplished it, fair enough, and it makes an interesting story, but, for me, to truly merit 'celebrating' an act has to not only be difficult but should also improve the world in some way, which I don't see any of this sort of 'adventuring' as doing.)

Don't worry the UCI will probably wade in and define exactly where the start point had to be to count as "entire way." All of our problems will be solved!

Colour me impressed and slightly jealous - is a brilliant, astounding achievement. Unreserved chapeau.

Well done to her what a fantastic achievement.

I know that I couldn't do anything like that so perhaps I should be knocking her efforts like others on here

Don't shoot the messenger - plenty of discussion on other forums if you want to go looking for it. I've been following this for a few weeks since Maria, David and Juan happened to set-out independently at much the same time to achieve the same goal.

My understanding is that a valid ride has to start from the edge of the Antarctic continent, not the ice-shelf but this appears to have upset the traditionalists. The fact that she chose a shorter, steeper route up the glacier onto the plateau seems to have paid dividends - as well as the inspired choice of a trike which enabled her to ride in high winds which would have made riding a bike impossible. Apparently there's a TV programme due the end of January.

Yes, the entire way. She cycled the entire way of her 400 mile route.

Lots of negativity here. 400 miles. Not quite lejog but not many posting are up to it. I wonder how much negativity is because she's a girl?

Super job Maria.

“First person in the world to cycle the entire way to the South Pole".

The entire way?

I am wondering where this cycle ride began. It is more than 400 miles from the South Pole to any point you could reach by ship. So it seems this is an interesting adventure holiday, but not much more. It appears to be 400 miles across the Antarctic plateau from a helicopter drop off. No more random than doing the last degree I suppose, but I suspect the South Pole is pretty depressing. A bit like arriving at an industrial estate outside middlesborough in winter.

Diana nyad?

Leaving the slight debate about definitions to one side, it is a great achievement. Chapeau!

An amazing achievement, no doubt it will be completely ignored by the mainstream media.

I must confess to certain reservations about the 'all the way to the South Pole' part - if I get helicopter-dropped 100m below the summit of Everest and climb 'all the way' to the top then technically I have climbed to the top but it's not quite the same is it? - but still, I'm not sure I could do it myself and she has my admiration.

Supported, unsupported, bicycle, tricycle, whatever.

Quite an achievement whichever way you look at it. Chapeau! to her, and hope the other two riders make it in safely.

Bike, trike? so what, a magnificent ride.

Road.cc wrote:

Leijerstram will always have the distinction of being the first person to get there by bike.

It's a trike not a bike. So technically she's the first to cycle to the pole but Burton or Menendez will be the first to do it by bike.