James MacDonald, a Scottish ultra-endurance cyclist, will race the clock continuously from Paris–Roubaix to Milan–San Remo
- Multiple world record holder James MacDonald will ride the routes of all five cycling Monuments back-to-back
- The 55-year-old Scot has broken Guinness records including the record for the fastest 100km ridden on an indoor velodrome, John o’ Groats–Land’s End–John o’ Groats, and Scotland south to north
- The clock will run throughout every ride, transfer, rest stop and mechanical repair
- His finishing time will establish a new World UltraCycling Association world record, subject to certification
London, UK, 12 August 2026: Scottish ultra-endurance cyclist James MacDonald will attempt to establish a new World UltraCycling Association (WUCA) record by riding the routes of cycling’s five Monuments back-to-back.
MacDonald, 55, will begin The Monuments Time Challenge on Sunday 30 August. The clock will run continuously from the start of the Paris–Roubaix route until he reaches the finish of Milan–San Remo, setting a benchmark for one of endurance cycling’s toughest tests.
The attempt builds on a record-breaking career that includes the fastest ever double crossing between John o’ Groats and Land’s End, the fastest 100km ridden on an indoor velodrome, and the Guinness record for riding solo from the southernmost to the northernmost point of Scotland.
MacDonald said: “Of all the challenges I have taken on, this feels like the one I have been building towards. The Monuments are the defining one-day races in professional cycling, and nobody has attempted to ride all five back-to-back in this format before. With the clock running continuously, every decision will matter, from how hard I push to when I sleep and how quickly the team can move me between the routes.”
The Monuments Time Challenge will cover approved routes of five of the oldest, longest and most demanding one-day races in professional cycling:
- Paris–Roubaix (2026) – 258.3km
- Tour of Flanders (2026) – 278.2km
- Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2026) – 259.5km
- Il Lombardia (2024) – 255km
- Milan–San Remo (2026) – 298km
- Covering a combined 1,349km, the routes cross France, Belgium and Italy, taking in cobbled sectors, steep climbs, technical descents and rapidly changing conditions.
He will be supported by a ten-person team assembled by the attempt organiser, Perpetual Sports Consulting. The team includes challenge manager Matt Jones, a physiotherapist, two bike mechanics, four drivers/navigators and two nutritionists/trainers.
MacDonald and his bicycle will travel by support vehicle between the five routes. Every transfer will count towards his total time, along with all stops for sleep, food, mechanical repairs or medical treatment. His time off the bike will matter as much as his speed on it.
MacDonald added: “Each Monument is a serious test in its own right. Riding all five back-to-back changes the challenge completely.
“They represent everything that makes cycling compelling. Each one has its own history, terrain and character, and finishing any of them is a major undertaking.
“I have spent years finding out what I can do on a bike, but nothing I have attempted compares with this. It is five great races rolled into one continuous effort across three countries.”
MacDonald has competed in endurance cycling events for more than 20 years. He completed the 3,089-mile Race Across America as a solo rider in 2016, set the fastest recorded return time between John o’ Groats and Land’s End in 2017, and broke the indoor 100km record in 2021. In September 2025, he added his third Guinness record for riding 625km from the Mull of Galloway to John o’ Groats.
MacDonald balances his record attempts with a full-time career as a customer engineer at Google. He lives in the Scottish Borders.
The Monuments Time Challenge will be a solo attempt, with no concurrent rider and no drafting permitted. MacDonald, his bicycle, the support team and its vehicles will be tracked continuously by GPS.
The team will collect route, timing and officiating evidence throughout the attempt. The finishing time will become an official WUCA record only after review and certification by the WUCA Records Chair.
Tracking details to follow the attempt will be released before MacDonald sets off.
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