Attempt under way to beat Mark Beaumont's NC500 cycle record

Another attempt is under way to break the current record for cycling round the North Coast 500 (NC500).

Endurance cyclist Matthew Page set off shortly before 6am this morning from Inverness Castle in a bid to better the record time set last year by Mark Beaumont, who completed the 516-mile route in 28 hours, 35 minutes.

Thirty-eight-year-old Mr Page wrote on social media: “As the sun rises tomorrow (Tuesday,) I will be starting an attempt to break the North Coast 500 record 830km/516 miles, currently at 28 hours 35 min set by Mark Beaumont."

A former cycle courier in Cardiff, Mr Page went on to race full-time as a sponsored athlete for European online sports retailer, Wiggle.

He has been training over the past year for the NC500 challenge by undertaking several ultra-distance events.

Mark Beaumont has wished him good luck.

You can follow Matt Page live as he tries to set a new record by clicking here.

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