French internet celebrity and mountain bike rider, Aurelien Fontenoy, recently completed an astonishing challenge by riding his bike along 686 steps to reach the second level platform of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, setting a new world record with a time of 12 minutes and 30 seconds.
Last Thursday morning, the 35-year-old professional mountain biker Fontenoy stood ready in front of the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris for his daring challenge. The rules were strict – he could not touch the ground with his feet, only using the strength of his calves and shoulders, with just one attempt allowed. This challenge not only tested his skills but also pushed the limits of his physical and mental endurance.
As the timer was set by the staff, the challenge officially began. The observation platform on the Eiffel Tower’s second level stands at a height of 115 meters, with a total of 686 steps. The steps were not only steep but also narrow at turns, making even a slight deviation a potential cause of failure.
For most people, climbing just the stairs to the second floor would be exhausting enough, but Fontenoy had to ride his bike, relying solely on his own strength to jump up step by step without any assistance.
After 12 minutes and 30 seconds, he finally reached the end of the Eiffel Tower staircase, took a deep breath, and completed what seemed like an impossible challenge. Not only did he successfully break the world record for this feat, but he also outperformed the previous record holder by nearly 7 minutes.
Fontenoy expressed, “It was really tough, but I am very satisfied with my performance. I never thought I could finish so quickly. I am thrilled to have successfully reached the top and set a new world record.”
He confessed that when he reached the second level, his shoulders and feet were exhausted from exertion, feeling his stamina waning. Despite this, he did not give up and persevered step by step, even when it became increasingly difficult.
Fontenoy explained, “You can’t pedal at all, you have to brake continuously, relying entirely on the strength of your calves and shoulders to push the bike up 686 steps. It becomes very challenging after a while. But I am glad that I did it.”
At the Eiffel Tower’s observation platform, Fontenoy proudly raised the record board displaying his time of 12 minutes and 30 seconds, along with the mountain bike that accompanied him in this challenge, sharing the joy of his successful record-breaking feat with everyone.
He mentioned, “Climbing the Eiffel Tower holds great symbolic significance in France, and it is truly one of the places I most wanted to challenge.”
In fact, this is just a part of Fontenoy’s larger “The Climb” project. In 2021, he rode his bike to the top of the 140-meter Trinity Tower in Paris, and this year he successfully conquered the 314-meter Tallinn’s TV Tower in Estonia.