For Thomas Carrig, cycling started as a way to explore Norway on a bikepacking trip. But somewhere along the way, it became something much bigger.

“I’ve slowly fallen in love over the last few years, and it’s become such a massive part of my life,” he says. Since that first trip, he’s taken on several more bikepacking adventures, always chasing the same question: how much ground can he cover in a single day?

Based in Banff for the last two years, Thomas has come to know one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the country, the route to Jasper. On September 24, he turned that familiar road into his biggest challenge yet: attempting a 580 kilometre ride from Banff to Jasper and back in a single day.

Twenty one hours in, Thomas had covered an impressive 471 km, riding through the night and into the sunrise. That’s when sleep deprivation caught up with him. Knowing his limits, he made the call to stop rather than push his body past the point of riding safely.

471 km through the night is a feat on its own, and it’s not even why Thomas was out there in the first place. He first learned about World Bicycle Relief through cyclist Lachlan Morton’s rides, and the mission stuck with him ever since.

“I honestly can’t think of a more fitting cause,” he says. “The idea that cycling changed my life, and through WBR I can play a part in giving other people that same opportunity. It’s the best!”