its maybe also the approach on what kind of road one tours ... I would never ever find myself on a road like this.

Agree. Maybe because that particular rack was extra wide for supporting the Ortlieb duffel? I have seen several extra wide racks like that on the front fork on bikes, perhaps he used a front rack on back?

I zoomed in on the rack mounts on the original photo, below.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2c67b0ed96.jpg

I also thought it looks like a front pizza type rack.
Wouldnt be my choice either.

Right, you can't cross into Azerbaijan, borders are closed. They are only open for freight transport.

You're going to find that on a round-the-world tour, some days you find the road, other days the road finds you. Anyone unable to accept this reality will have to restrict himself to more limited itineraries.

I looked at Wilcox's world record route. Any thoughts on the fact that she stayed only in first world countries and skipped all of Asia? The previous record holder Jenny Graham rode through Siberia and Mongolia, and furthermore unlike Wilcox who had a car following, Graham was completely unsupported. No wonder Wilcox was able to beat the record.

This record is not just about cycling a fixed distance fastest. The challenge of passing through difficult regions is just as much part of the record as the distance itself.

I understand that the Guiness rules are very loose and cycling through Russia is inadvisable in the last two years, but this is departing too far from the concept of the record. This is completely the fault of Guiness. They should really tighten the rules. At the very least even if they don't fix the routing loophole, split the record into supported and unsupported categories.

Compare their routes. Wilcox skipped Asia and made up the distance simply by doing some extra wiggles in western countries.

Graham still has the record in my opinion.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c412aa4cc1.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0eb3f1b68d.jpg

very interesting Yan, thanks for putting up the route maps to compare.
Yes, a hugely significant and different riding experience from the Scottish women's ride, both in support and in route difficulty.

I agree that separating into supported vs unsupported is a useful distinction.

I am more mixed on the principle of defining "difficult" regions in part because creating that definition is more awkward. On the one hand it looks a bit strange to cycle around the world but not in Asia (other than part of Turkey and Georgia). However, I cycled across Russia and wouldn't consider those roads as particularly difficult. Since I traveled they also finished paving the trans-Siberian sections all the way through Vladivostok (when I did it in 2007 there was still ~1500km of gravel). So I would consider a ride all the way across Russia (if possible) as also being part of an around the world ride - while also not considering Russia as difficult as some developing countries.

In any case these records are a bit strange and this is more on Guinness as it makes sense for riders to see the most straightforward method of matching the rules. Ideally it would be nice to include Africa or South America as well...