Attack on 7-day world record: German wants to ride 547 kilometres for seven days in a row

Riding over 547 kilometres on a road bike in one day is a tough task - how is it possible to do this seven days in a row? From 25 April to 2 May 2026, Daniel Steinhauser will attempt the 7-day world record in road cycling. The ultracycling athlete from Bad Waldsee has to cover more than 3,826.47 kilometres to achieve this. The start will take place on 25 April at 9:00 am on the Grabener Höhe near Bad Waldsee. Exactly seven days later, on 2 May at 9:00 a.m., the time window ends in the centre of Bad Waldsee.

The record attempt follows the regulations of the international ultracycling associations. Steinhauser rides on several circuits in his home region of Upper Swabia and the neighbouring Allgäu. A support vehicle will accompany him for the entire seven days. The team includes medical carers, technical specialists and organisational helpers. The entire ride is documented and can be viewed via Live tracking can be followed. Spectators can follow the start from 8.30 a.m. on the Grabener Höhe. It is not possible to ride along at the start for safety reasons.

7-day world record requirements

What counts for the 7-day record is the total distance covered within the specified time window. Steinhauser has to control his pacing, sleep management and energy supply over the entire week. Material consistency plays a decisive role, as technical problems have a direct impact on the overall distance. The team processes must be precisely coordinated in order to keep supply stops short. Endurance and resilience form the basis, but are not enough. The athlete must be able to perform even after several days with little sleep.

Steinhauser emphasises the conscious decision to choose his home region as the venue. He admits that there could be places with better conditions for such a record attempt. The connection to the local people and the donation target for the St. Nikolaus children's hospice in Bad Grönenbach were the deciding factors for him. Donations can be collected via the children's hospice website during the record attempt.

7-day world record contested

The seven-day road bike record changed just a few days ago. Previously, the record was 3,814 kilometres - a fortnight ago, Canyon athlete Alex McCormack reported that he had completed 3826.47 kilometres. Although the record has not yet been officially recognised, it has been submitted to Guinness World Records and the World UltraCycling Association. The 28-year-old Brit McCormack completed a total of 3,826.47 kilometres on a 150-kilometre circuit along the Moselle near Koblenz - beating the previous record of 3,813.81 kilometres by 12.66 kilometres. McCormack spent an average of 18.5 hours a day in the saddle. The longest stage on the seventh day: 727.75 kilometres in 25:46 hours. There were less than five hours per day for regeneration, nutrition and sleep. The daily calorie consumption was around 14,000 calories.

Extreme weather for the current 7-day world record

The weather conditions turned out to be much tougher than expected for the current 7-day world record. Alex McCormack battled with snow, hail and rain throughout the week - the cold was particularly hard on him. "The cold was worse than I expected," said McCormack in a press release after the record. His equipment was permanently soaked, which presented him with the dilemma of choosing between an aerodynamic position and keeping warm. At times he rode with a hot water bottle in his jersey. The frequent changes of clothes and numerous hot showers to warm up cost a lot of time - according to McCormack, significantly more distance could have been achieved under better conditions. The conditions deteriorated dramatically, especially at night. The many layers of clothing significantly impaired the aerodynamics.

Daniel Steinhauser portrait

The athlete from Bad Waldsee has been one of the leading German ultracyclists for several years. In 2025, he won the Utrecht Ultra XL and the Race Across Italy 775. In the European Ultra Distance Championship, which was held as the Race Around Lower Austria, he took second place in 2025 and was runner-up in the European Championship. Steinhauser set a 24-hour indoor record back in 2024. He rode 962 kilometres on the roller.

The finish is planned for 2 May 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in the centre of Bad Waldsee. Fans are invited to the arrival.