Dubai: Former bike trial world champion and ten-time Guinness World Record holder Vittorio Brumotti is eyeing up Dubai’s Burj Khalifa for his eleventh record bid “as soon as possible”.
Brumotti is an official member of the Russian Tinkoff Saxo cycle team and, although he’s not racing in this week’s Dubai Tour, the freestyle cyclist has been invited for on-stage demonstrations at the race headquarters at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC).
In October 2012, the Italian rider earned his ninth Guinness World Record when he took 2 hours and 20 minutes to climb the 4,000 steps of the Burj Khalifa — the world’s tallest building — on a mountain bike. His last world record came last year, when he crossed a river on his bike using an elastic slackline.
However, it is Dubai that once again beckons for his next challenge. “What the Colosseum is to Rome, the Burj Khalifa is to Dubai, which is like a second home for me. They’ve made films like ‘Mission Impossible’ at the Burj Khalifa and I want to have one more go at a new world record using a normal road bike to climb the stairs,” Brumotti said.
“My goal is simple. I love this place and I want to use this stunt for the promotion of Dubai and of cycling.”
But there has been a slight hitch for the Italian, as permissions have been quite tough to come by.
“From past experience, it can be quite complicated. We have been in touch with the Emaar authorities to try and coax them into giving us the necessary permission in quick time so that I can set my eleventh world record,” Brumotti said.
Last year, Brumotti released his video ‘Brumotti Road Bike Freestyle’ in tribute to British trial rider Martyn Ashton, who was paralysed from the waist down following an accident. Ashton starred in the 2012 hit ‘Road Bike Party’ and Brumotti decided to pay tribute to him through the film, while also showcasing his skills to the public at road bike freestyle shows.
