In 2006 when Brendan Johnston caught wind of a monumental challenge being undertaken by local cyclist Richard Vollebregt, an attempt to top the fastest known time for the 4,000km journey from Perth to Sydney, it captured the imagination of the then 14-year-old. Now, 20 years later, he has set off on his own attempt.
“It’s just sort of been in the back of my mind since then,” Johnston told Cyclingnews from Perth in the days before setting off.
Johnston has a record in long races – being a six-time Australian Marathon Mountain Bike national champion, winner of the Melbourne to Warrnambool, the Dirty Warrny and also a top five finisher at Unbound – but the ultra-endurance sphere is a new challenge. Still, for the rider who in recent years has found his path into professional cycling by evolving into a top gravel racer, the scale of the task is a big part of the appeal.
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