12 July 2022
The difficult moments make for the most beautiful memories
Images by Markus Weinberg & Mitchell Dick
Jonas Deichmann has circumnavigated the globe, covering the distance with 120 Ironman: an epic feat across 429 days that not even the pandemic could stop
A German proverb says: wo ein Wille ist, ist auch ein Weg, which means, where there’s a will there’s a way. Jonas Deichmann’s will has taken him the long way from Munich to Munich, around the globe in triathlon mode. The thirty-four year old athlete and adventurer from Stuttgart completed this unprecedented feat last November.
In 429 days Deichmann covered the Ironman distance 120 times: swimming 456 kilometres, riding 21,600 kilometres and running 5,060 kilometres. His whole journey was totally unsupported, apart from certain forced links and he carried all his own equipment. This is where we came in. Jonas’ bike was fitted with Fulcrum wheels: the Wind 40/55 DB Combo for the road sections and the Rapid Red 3 for the off-road sections. Here’s how it went.
In 429 days Deichmann covered the Ironman distance 120 times: swimming 456 kilometres, riding 21,600 kilometres and running 5,060 kilometres. His whole journey was totally unsupported, apart from certain forced links and he carried all his own equipment. This is where we came in. Jonas’ bike was fitted with Fulcrum wheels: the Wind 40/55 DB Combo for the road sections and the Rapid Red 3 for the off-road sections. Here’s how it went.
A formidable adversary: the weather
On the 26 September 2020 Deichmann finally set off from Odeonsplatz in Munich, after having had to postpone his departure in previous months due to the pandemic. The weather immediately threw a spanner in the works with low temperatures and torrential rain. If that wasn’t enough, Jonas was immediately forced to change his route. The Grossglockner pass through the Alps was closed for snow and the Tyrol was a risk area due to Covid-19. He opted for a detour through the Tazzelwurmstrasse and the Tauernpass.
Deichmann pedalled through the Alps, as far as Karlobag, on the Croatian coast, where he began a swimming leg of 456 kilometres in the Adriatic Sea. He reached Dubrovnik on the 22 November, after 54 days with bad weather, adverse currents and a few injuries, but buoyed along by the great support of the Croatian population. With this leg he set a new record: the longest swim without a support boat. “My brief and lucky career as a swimmer ends here”, he explained on his online diary. “I am happy I managed to complete it, but I won’t do it again. I am happy to finally get back on my bike”.
Deichmann pedalled through the Alps, as far as Karlobag, on the Croatian coast, where he began a swimming leg of 456 kilometres in the Adriatic Sea. He reached Dubrovnik on the 22 November, after 54 days with bad weather, adverse currents and a few injuries, but buoyed along by the great support of the Croatian population. With this leg he set a new record: the longest swim without a support boat. “My brief and lucky career as a swimmer ends here”, he explained on his online diary. “I am happy I managed to complete it, but I won’t do it again. I am happy to finally get back on my bike”.
A month in “stand-by” pedalling through Anatolia
Setting off from Dubrovnik, Deichmann had the whole of Asia to cover: Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and then Turkey. In Istanbul Jonas has to review his route to Vladivostok, on the Pacific coast, once again. The original idea was to avoid the Siberian winter and pedal through Southern Asia. Unfortunately all the countries east of Turkey had closed their borders due to the pandemic. The only option was to ride north. At first Russia denied a visa, blocking Jonas. But he wasn’t about to give up so while he tried to find a solution he kept fit by riding through Anatolia for four weeks. Finally the German Triathlon Union and the Russian Olympic Committee managed to resolve the matter, so that Jonas could get his visa.
Finally Jonas set off, eastwards up the Balkan Peninsula, through Bulgaria, Romania and Moldavia. In Kharkiv, the second largest city of Ukraine, he got his bike ready for Russia, changing to larger tyres with a special tread to ensure greater grip on the icy roads. The cold, water, mud and snow, and obviously the rough roads put the bike through its paces, so that it needed another check-up in Chelyabinsk, which marked the start of Siberia. Here Jonas changed his plans once again: he wanted a fast wheel, so he decided to keep riding his Wind wheels, despite the long off-road sections ahead of him. The 17,000 kilometres he covered in extreme conditions and with polar temperatures have proven their reliability in all conditions.
Finally Jonas set off, eastwards up the Balkan Peninsula, through Bulgaria, Romania and Moldavia. In Kharkiv, the second largest city of Ukraine, he got his bike ready for Russia, changing to larger tyres with a special tread to ensure greater grip on the icy roads. The cold, water, mud and snow, and obviously the rough roads put the bike through its paces, so that it needed another check-up in Chelyabinsk, which marked the start of Siberia. Here Jonas changed his plans once again: he wanted a fast wheel, so he decided to keep riding his Wind wheels, despite the long off-road sections ahead of him. The 17,000 kilometres he covered in extreme conditions and with polar temperatures have proven their reliability in all conditions.
The (not very) Pacific Ocean and Mexico that adopted the German Forrest Gump
After having pedalled across the whole of Russia, on 17 May 2021, Jonas arrived in Vladivostok. Here he was once again forced to radically change his plans for North America. He gave up on the opportunity of crossing the Pacific in co-sailing due to the adverse weather and the numerous hurricanes battering the ocean, which seemed pacific only in name. The coast to coast running leg across America had to be called off too due to the restrictions in place to curtail the spread of Covid-19. “The difficult moments make for the most beautiful memories”, recalled Jonas.
In the end he crossed the Pacific by air to Mexico. Jonas landed in Tijuana and in 117 days, after 5,060 kilometres of running, he reached Cancun. The thirty-four year old adventurer was soon taken to heart by the Mexicans. The local media followed him and broadcast daily updates of the adventures of the “German Forrest Gump”. This visibility resulted in thousands of local runners and cyclists joining him for most of the trip. This leg was the equivalent of 120 marathons, which Jonas ran pulling a small trolley behind him with all his equipment.
In the end he crossed the Pacific by air to Mexico. Jonas landed in Tijuana and in 117 days, after 5,060 kilometres of running, he reached Cancun. The thirty-four year old adventurer was soon taken to heart by the Mexicans. The local media followed him and broadcast daily updates of the adventures of the “German Forrest Gump”. This visibility resulted in thousands of local runners and cyclists joining him for most of the trip. This leg was the equivalent of 120 marathons, which Jonas ran pulling a small trolley behind him with all his equipment.
Back to Europe and a final bike session
After saying goodbye to Cancun Jonas landed in Lisbon on 29 October to start the last leg to Munich: a ride of about 4,000 kilometres on his trusted bike. He managed to cover up to 200 kilometres per day across the idyllic landscape of Seville, Malaga, Valencia and Barcelona. Then he crossed Southern France, the French Riviera, to face his last great challenge, the Giant of Provence, Mont Ventoux, one of cycling’s legendary climbs.
Finally on 29 November 2021, after 429 days and 18 countries, Jonas finished his journey around the world back in Munich. In Odeonsplatz he received a triumphant welcome by his family, sponsors, media and lots of supporters. After a quick shower and a trip to the barber’s shop, the celebrations finally began. The German athlete added this incredible feat to the already substantial collection of personal records that have always looked beyond the world of sport. The Triathlon 360 Degree project is no exception: the idea was to raise awareness of climate change and raise money for World Bicycle Relief and Oxfam. Here Jonas scored another success, by raising 23,000 Euro, which will be used to send bikes to remote regions of Africa and allow children to go to school and build themselves a future. Well done, gut gemacht, Jonas!
Finally on 29 November 2021, after 429 days and 18 countries, Jonas finished his journey around the world back in Munich. In Odeonsplatz he received a triumphant welcome by his family, sponsors, media and lots of supporters. After a quick shower and a trip to the barber’s shop, the celebrations finally began. The German athlete added this incredible feat to the already substantial collection of personal records that have always looked beyond the world of sport. The Triathlon 360 Degree project is no exception: the idea was to raise awareness of climate change and raise money for World Bicycle Relief and Oxfam. Here Jonas scored another success, by raising 23,000 Euro, which will be used to send bikes to remote regions of Africa and allow children to go to school and build themselves a future. Well done, gut gemacht, Jonas!
Jonas’s comment
"I used the WIND wheels for over 21,000 km around the world. Besides being light and fast I love the sound and feeling when going fast. And being road bike wheels, I definitely tested them to the limit by crossing Siberia in winter”
