Rally Raid
Around the world in 19 days: the lowdown on Sam Sunderland's epic challenge
Two-time Dakar winner Sam Sunderland is attempting to ride around the world in 19 days, covering more than 18,000 miles across multiple continents in a race against the clock.
Sam Sunderland is taking on one of the most ambitious challenges of his career – attempting to become the fastest person to circumnavigate the globe on a motorcycle.
Starting on September 5 in Greenwich, London, and finishing in the same spot, Sunderland plans to ride more than 18,000 miles (29,000km) across multiple continents, countries and time zones, with the clock running for 19 days of riding. The route is expected to take him through Europe, Türkiye, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and North America before he heads back towards Europe.
The scale of the challenge is difficult to comprehend. Sunderland will need to cover the equivalent of roughly 1,050 miles [1,690km] every day, spending long hours in the saddle on public roads while dealing with traffic, weather, changing terrain, fatigue and the effects of crossing multiple time zones. The ocean crossings between continents do not count towards his elapsed riding time, but the motorcycle must remain the same throughout the attempt.
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What is Sam Sunderland attempting?
The Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer must be with Sunderland all the way
© Mark Roe/Red Bull Content Pool
Sunderland's target is to complete a motorcycle circumnavigation of the globe in less than 19 days, challenging the benchmark of 19 days, eight hours and 25 minutes set by his compatriots Kevin and Julia Sanders in 2002.
To satisfy the established rules for the challenge, Sunderland must travel continuously in one direction, start and finish at the same location, reach two points on opposite sides of the globe and complete the journey on the same motorcycle. His Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer has been prepared for the demands of the expedition and will roll on Michelin Anakee road tyres..
The rules Sam Sunderland has to follow:
- Must stay on the same bike
- Must travel in a continuous direction
- Must travel 18,000 miles
- Must reach two points on opposite sides of the globe
- Must start and finish in the same place
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What route is Sam Sunderland taking?
Sam Sunderland needs to cover an average of 1,690km every day
© Mark Roe/Red Bull Content Pool
The six-leg route begins in London before heading to Istanbul, continuing through South East Asia from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur. From there, Sunderland will cross Australia from Perth to Sydney before riding the entire length of New Zealand. He will then tackle the longest section of the journey across North America, from Vancouver to Montreal, before completing the final leg from Casablanca, Morocco back to London - as he attempts to create history. Throughout the journey Sam will pass some of the world’s most iconic landmarks, including the Bonneville Salt Flats, and traverse the sun-baked Australian outback.
The route at a glance:
- Leg 1: London -> Istanbul via France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria
- Leg 2: Bangkok -> Kuala Lumpur
- Leg 3: Perth -> Sydney
- Leg 4: New Zealand
- Leg 5: Vancouver -> Montreal
- Leg 6: Casablanca -> London via Spain and France
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Why is the challenge so difficult?
Sam Sunderland is off to see the world on his Triumph
© Greg Coleman/Red Bull Content Pool
This is not a race in the traditional sense. There are no stages, competitors or finish-line sprints. Instead, the challenge is built around maintaining an extraordinary pace over thousands of miles while managing exhaustion and everything that comes with riding on public roads.
Sunderland has described the mental strain as one of the biggest challenges. He expects to spend around 17 hours riding on some days, with the cumulative effects of sleep deprivation, jet lag and mental fatigue becoming increasingly important as the journey progresses.
"One of the toughest parts of this challenge for me is definitely the time on the bike, the miles that we have to cover," he says. "I'm going to be riding for 17 hours a day, back to back, over many days. I feel like that accumulation's going to build up and it's definitely going to be tough."
That makes this as much a test of concentration and endurance as it is of motorcycle riding. Every delay matters. Every missed turn, mechanical problem, weather system or period of heavy traffic can eat into the limited time available.
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Who is Sam Sunderland?
Sam Sunderland took a second Dakar title in 2022
© Flavien Duhamel/Red Bull Content Pool
Sunderland is one of Britain's most successful rally-raid riders. He won the Dakar Rally in 2017 and again in 2022, establishing himself as one of the leading riders of his generation before turning his attention to a new set of challenges beyond professional rally competition.
His round-the-world attempt represents a very different type of endurance test. Instead of racing across desert stages against a field of competitors, Sunderland will spend day after day covering huge distances on public roads, with the pressure coming from the clock, the route and the physical and mental demands of staying focused for thousands of miles.
Challenges don't always happen when everything is perfect
Adding to the challenge is the fact that Sunderland has just recovered from a broken back, sustained in a training crash after originally announcing the record attempt at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2025.
"Breaking my back was never part of the plan, but in many ways it reinforced why I want to do this," he said. "Challenges don't always happen when everything is perfect, they're about how you respond when things don't go your way.”
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Why is Sam Sunderland taking on this challenge?
Sam Sunderland loves a challenge
© Attila Szabo/Red Bull Content Pool
"I've always been one for pushing myself, trying to do long, difficult things and this definitely ticks the boxes," he explains."I love an adventure, I've been able to travel to some really cool places throughout my career, but mostly I've been there to race, whereas now I can have a look around a bit, experience a few of the cultures and that's something that's really important to me."
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Follow Sam Sunderland's round-the-world attempt
We'll be following Sunderland's incredible ride from the start gun on September 5 to the checkered flag after 19 days of riding, keeping you regularly updated as the journey unfolds.
Once things get underway, check back regularly to find out where he is, how far he's travelled and how the attempt's progressing as he bids to ride around the world in 19 days.