TikTok star Aurelien Fontenoy breaks world record by climbing Eiffel Tower on cycle in 12 minutes

According to a report by CNN Sport. Fontenoy conquered 686 steps of the Paris landmark in just 12 minutes and 30 seconds, the Eiffel Tower’s operator, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, announced on Friday. He shattered the previous record, set more than two decades ago, by nearly seven minutes.

The 35-year-old explained the gruelling nature of the attempt. “For this challenge, I brake my brake, and I just to have to compress my tire because I don’t have suspension or anything, it’s just a rigid bike. So we just have to pump with the brake and jump, jump, jump a lot!” he told the outlet.

You can watch the video here.

Fontenoy said he spent months preparing for the climb, relying on intense gym sessions and jump rope training to build strength and stamina. The record attempt itself, however, was years in the making.

“It’s a challenge that I organised maybe three or four years ago,” he said. “I started four years ago at the Tour Trinity and I was supposed to go to the Eiffel Tower after. But Covid-19, then the Olympic Games, then building (work) and (re)painting (the tower). So it was a lot of work to organise it!” he added.

When he finally reached the second-floor platform, Fontenoy admitted he was “destroyed”. “When I arrived (at the finish line) I was destroyed because it’s 12 minutes, but 100% (effort) during 12 minutes. I was super happy because, I showed nothing, but, it was a small stress for me to beat this record,” he said.

What’s next for the French cyclist?

Fontenoy retired from competitive mountain bike racing five years ago. He said these eye-catching world record attempts are about continuing to challenge himself and promote the sport he loves. So, Fontenoy has turned to content creation to promote his sport and sustain his career. With over one million followers each on TikTok and YouTube, he regularly shares biking challenges and tutorials.

“So my idea was to make more content creation and (appeal to) a larger public. And it was also a good idea to show what the sport is and do something crazy we haven’t done in the sport. It was a big project for me to say, ‘Okay, we can mix challenge and also social media content,’” he said.

As for what’s next, Fontenoy revealed that he now plans to climb the biggest towers. “The final point will be to climb the Burj Khalifa, the highest tower in the world,” he shared.