Antarctica Unlimited: Omar Di Felice’s Fat Bike Journey to the South Pole

Photos provided by Wilier Triestina and Omar Di Felice

Following an unsuccessful 2022 attempt, Italian endurance athlete Omar Di Felice is back in Antarctica with hopes of completing a two-month, 1,600-kilometer traverse of the icy continent from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole with an out-and-back detour to the Leverett Glacier. Along the way, he’ll face steady grades, bitter cold, and intense winds that can create treacherous conditions. Now eight days into his journey, he’s made steady progress, pedaling a little more than 100 kilometers with his sled in tow.

Omar’s Antarctica Unlimited expedition is the latest chapter in his Bike to 1.5°C project, through which he’s working to raise awareness about the effects of climate change in hopes of motivating governments and citizens to take action. With his projects taking place at the intersection of sport and science, he also aims to highlight the connections between our everyday lives and the scientific research and breakthroughs that make them possible.

For this uniquely demanding undertaking, Omar is riding a one-of-a-kind aluminum fat bike frameset built to his specifications by the team at Wilier Triestina in Italy. It features a custom aluminum fork, a 1×11 Shimano Deore XT drivetrain, Pro handlebar and seatpost, studded 27.5 x 4.5″ tires, San Marco Aspide Short Supercomfort saddle, and custom bags from Miss Grape.

You can find daily updates and photos of Omar’s expedition on Instagram.

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