How long does it take to cross Mexico on a bike? This ultracyclist just set the record

Gerardo “Coloso” Rojano Galván, 47, a student of the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s (UNAM) Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, crossed Mexico from north to south by bicycle in just over 20 days, earning a new record by the World Ultracycling Association (WUCA).

Rojano’s journey began June 8 in Los Algodones, Baja California, just 50 meters away from the United States border, and ended near the border of Mexico with Guatemala at Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, after 20 days, 6 hours and 3 minutes of cycling. 

The exceptional feat, which saw Coloso cover 4,094 kilometers with an average speed of 8.42 kilometers per hour, established a new record in the men’s individual cross-country category for cyclists aged 18 to 49 certified by the World Ultra-Cycling Association (WUCA).

Coloso completed this route on a standard bicycle in an unsupported manner, meaning he had no outside assistance to cover the distance during the journey. The Mexican cyclist now awaits recognition of his journey as a Guinness World Record.

The nearly 21-day journey

Rojano’s journey took him across mountains, deserts, towns and cities throughout Mexico, and included efforts to engage with Indigenous communities such as the Seri, Yaqui, Wixárika, Tzotzil, Amuzgo and Huave peoples.

To prepare for the trip, he explained to Gaceta UNAM that he had to train to adapt to the country’s varying weather conditions, including pedaling during the day and at night, as well as in hot and cold weather. 

He had to train his sleep schedule too, he explained. During the first week, Rojano cycled an average of 18 hours a day. Subsequently, he maintained daily rides of close to 15 hours and registered 13 hours as his shortest day. 

“It was a stressful and grueling challenge,” he told Infobae. Rojano said that the most arduous part of the journey was traversing the challenging terrain of Baja California and Sonora, while the most extraordinary experience was having a coyote run next to him in the desert.

“You aren’t there to fight against nature; it’s more about running alongside it,” Rojano said. 

This expedition isn’t Rojano’s first track record in ultracycling. In 2025, he set a WUCA city-to-city record in Cuba, biking from Cabo San Antonio and arriving in Santa Clara in 2 days, 17 hours and 21 minutes. Previously in 2020, he rode from Mexico City to Acapulco in one day, achieving the record time of 17 hours and 22 minutes.