On June 19, Sarah Ruggins reached her goal: Nordkapp, Norway. She had biked Europe from end to end (see map) faster than anyone ever had.
Ruggins took up cycling after a disease made it hard to run. Her rides help others get access to bikes.
A Bumpy Ride
At 15, Ruggins was diagnosed with a rare condition that kept her from walking. Recovery took many years. She could not run races. So she turned to cycling.
Ruggins bought her first bike in 2023. She trained by lifting weights and working with coaches. Preparing was “a full-time job,” she told TFK.
Ruggins started her One Way North journey in Tarifa, Spain. She rode day and night through nine countries. It took 13 days, 20 hours, and 27 minutes to reach the northern tip of Europe. The longest she slept was four hours. Most nights, she slept 90 minutes.
Ruggins’s races raise money for the nonprofit World Bicycle Relief. It gives bicycles to people in remote remote far away from populated places (adjective) areas without buses or trains. This fights mobility mobility relating to the ability to move (adjective) poverty. In 2025, the group gave out nearly 100,000 bicycles. Some help kids get to school.
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