Sean Gardner smashes Everesting record in Shenandoah, Virginia
American rider breaks seven-hour mark to set new world record time of 6:59:38 on short 15.5 percent climb.
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Sean Gardner set a new Everesting world record Saturday, riding 51 repeats of a fearsome climb in Shenandoah National Park in just 6:59:38.
The Virginian’s time tops the previous record of 7:04:41 set in July by Ronan McLaughlin.
Gardner chose to ride an almost-straight 1.1 kilometer stretch of road averaging a 15.5 percent gradient, grinding out the required 8,848m ascent in under 120km. The effort appears to have been verified by Everesting administrators the Hells 500, who wrote “Y I K E S…. Amazing riding Sean Gardner!” on Facebook Saturday night.
“Hyped to sneak under that sub 7 barrier and take the record,” Gardner wrote on Instagram. “Full recap coming tomorrow once I have regained consciousness and consumed many calories. Huge shoutout to the support crew for coming out to give me poptarts. After 850 grams of sugar, I definitely have diabetes.”
Gardner, who is a USAC level 3 coach, had also set the second-fastest time behind McLaughlin in September.
The full Strava file of the ride can be seen here.