Lachlan Morton Explained

Lachlan Morton
Fullname:	Lachlan David Morton
Nickname:	Lachy
Birth Date:	1992 1, df=yes
Birth Place:	Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia
Weight:	62kg (137lb)
Role:	Rider
Ridertype:	Climber (road)
Amateuryears1:	2011–2012
Amateuryears2:	2012
Amateurteam2:	(stagiaire)
Proyears1:	2013–2014
Proyears2:	2015–2016
Proteam2:	^[1]
Proyears3:	2017–2018
Proyears4:	2019–
Proteam4:	^[2] ^[3] ^[4]
Majorwins:	Stage races Tour of Utah (2016)

Lachlan David Morton (born 2 January 1992) is an Australian professional gravel and road racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam .^[5]

Career

Born and raised in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia, Morton spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons in the squad's development stable, .^[6] ^[7]

Following a successful 2016 season including stage and overall wins at the Tour of the Gila and the Tour of Utah, in September 2016 confirmed that Morton would join them for 2017, reuniting him with former Garmin teammate Ben King.^[8] He was named in the startlist for the 2017 Vuelta a España.^[9] In October 2020, he was named in the startlist for the 2020 Giro d'Italia.^[10]

Ultra-distance cycling

Morton has participated in a number of ultra-distance cycling events and challenges. In 2014 he completed a 2500km (1,600miles) ride from Port Macquarie to Uluru with his brother Angus Morton. The brothers made a documentary film about the ride titled "Thereabouts".^[11] ^[12] ^[13] In 2015 "Thereabouts Reprise" was released about a 600miles ride across the Colorado Rockies that Morton completed with his brother, and professional cyclists Taylor Phinney and Cameron Wurf.^[14] In 2017 the Morton brothers released a third documentary titled "Thereabouts Colombia" about cycling in Colombia.^[15] ^[16]

In 2019 Morton participated in the Unbound Gravel, Leadville 100, GBDuro and Three Peaks Cyclocross races as part of EF Pro Cycling's alternative calendar.^[17] ^[18] He was first to finish the 2019 GBDuro, a 2000km (1,000miles) challenge from Land's End to John o' Groats in the United Kingdom.^[19] In May 2020 he set a new record of 11 hours and 14 minutes for the 142miles Kokopelli's Trail in the United States.^[20] In September 2020 he won the Badlands, a 700 kilometre race across the Iberian Peninsula.^[21]

He won Unbound Gravel in 2024 and rode the Tour Divide trail in 2023 in 12 days, 12 hours, and 21 minutes, becoming the fastest person ever to complete the storied route.

Everesting

Morton held the Everesting world record, completing the feat in 7:29:57 on 20 June 2020. The feat garnered significant publicity, as Morton had made an attempt just days earlier which was disqualified by Hells 500, who stated that he had not reached the threshold to count as an Everesting.^[22] ^[23] ^[24] ^[25] Since then, Alberto Contador and three other riders have surpassed Morton's time.^[26]

2021 Alt Tour

In 2021, Morton completed an "Alt Tour", riding the entire 2021 Tour de France route, including transfers, unsupported in aid of World Bicycle Relief. He started in Brittany on the same day as the regular Tour, but built up a lead on the peloton by riding for 12 hours a day. After 5510km (3,420miles) and 16 days, he finished the ride in Paris about 5 days ahead of the peloton.^[27]