Mark reaches his peak on epic bike trek

RECORD-breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont said he was "absolutely ecstatic" to have completed a gruelling journey across the longest mountain range in the world.

Edinburgh-based Mr Beaumont, who became the fastest man to cycle round the world, completed his latest nine-month journey just before 3:38pm British time yesterday.

He set off from Anchorage in May last year on his mission to cycle the American Cordillera, a mountain range stretching from Alaska to Argentina.

Last month, he reached the summit of the 22,841ft (6,962m) Mount Aconcagua in Argentina – the second major challenge of the trip after he climbed the 20,320ft (6,194m) Mount McKinley in North America in June.

Speaking from Ushuaia in Argentina, the 27-year-old said: "When I first finished I was pretty emotional because it's been nine months on the road alone and pushing it pretty hard on the mountains and on the bike.

"To get to the final point I was absolutely ecstatic."