(CNN) — There are not many world records in sports which last for more than 23 years. Then again, there are not many records you look at and think “Where did someone even get the idea to do that?” On Friday, one of those bizarre records fell when cyclist and social media star Aurélien Fontenoy...
Then again, there are not many records you look at and think “Where did someone even get the idea to do that?” On Friday, one of those bizarre records fell when cyclist and social media star Aurélien Fontenoy rode his bicycle to the second floor of theHe did so in 12 minutes and 30 seconds, smashing the previous record set by Hugues Richard in 2002 by nearly seven minutes.
Aurélien Fontenoy was not allowed to let his feet touch the ground while cycling up the Eiffel Tower on Friday. “For this challenge, I brake my brake, and I just to have to compress my tire because I don’t have suspension or anything, it’s just a rigid bike,” Fontenoy says in an interview withIt has taken much preparation, beginning with countless hours training in the gym or with a jump rope, to get to this point. And this is not Fontenoy’s first challenge – he has also conquered other buildings around Paris, as well as the TV Tower in Tallinn, Estonia. But, for the Frenchman, the perils of organizing a world record attempt centered around one of Europe’s most famous landmarks have been equally taxing. “It’s a challenge that I organized maybe three or four years ago,” he explains. “I started four years ago at theand I was supposed to go to the Eiffel Tower after. But Covid-19, then the Olympic Games, then building and painting . So it was a lot of work to organize it!”“We had only one chance. The last record was in 2002 and we needed 20 years to make a new challenge here because it’s a lot of work to organize it. So I said I didn’t want to miss it. So yeah, it’s a small stress. Also, when you say to your friend ‘I will try and beat the record,’ and you say it also to your sponsor, everybody is waiting for something from you,” he says. “When I arrived I was destroyed because it’s 12 minutes, but 100% during 12 minutes,” he adds. “I was super happy because, I showed nothing, but, it was a small stress for me to beat this record.” For Fontenoy, who retired from competitive mountain bike racing five years ago, these eye-catching world record attempts are about continuing to challenge himself and promote the sport he loves. But there is also a far more practical reason for doing something as crazy as bunny hopping up the Eiffel Tower. “When you are in the small sports like bike trials, it’s very hard to live with only competitions,” explains the 35-year-old. “So we have to find solutions to make money or to find sponsors.” “So my idea was to make more content creation and a larger public. And it was also a good idea to show what the sport is and do something crazy we haven’t done in the sport,” he says.The Frenchman is not done yet, either. “My plan is to climb the biggest towers,” he smiles. “So I’m already in contact with other towers in the world.2 regional Delta jets collide at LaGuardia airport
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