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Gloucester teenager aims to be youngest Brit to ride RAAM solo

Like policemen, it seems long-distance cyclists getting younger and younger

A 17-year-old from Gloucester has set himself the aim of becoming the youngest Briton ever to undertake the Race Across America.

 

Matthew Stevens plans to compete in the 2012 staging of the ten-day race, by which time he will be 19 years of age. He believes that the youngest British rider to have completed the RAAM on a solo basis did so at 21 years of age.

Matthew, who lives in Abbeydale, told the website This Is Somerset that he is already in training for the race, which if he qualifies would see him spend up to 22 hours a day in the saddle on the journey from California to Maryland.

He added: “If I do it I'll be absolutely ecstatic."

The teenager, who is looking for a sponsor able to equip with a suitable bike, plans to raise money on the ride for the charities Help for Heroes and the Children’s Hospice Association, Scotland, and further information bout his plans can be found on his website.

Like the proverbial policeman, it does seem like long-distance cyclists are getting younger and younger. Last year, 16-year-old David Clark from County Durham revealed he plans to set a new world record for the quickest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle – although he’ll have to wait until he turns 18 to embark on his attempt.
 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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David cycling t... | 13 years ago
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And I'm really looking forward to august 2011. and it's also to be the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the world too.

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