Lexi prepares to become first person to ascend iconic Tour de France climb in a wheelchair
Lexi already has seven Guiness World Records and has announced her next challenge
Last updated 12 hours ago
Devon's Lexi Chambers says she's now doing three marathons a week - as she trains to become the first ever person to climb Alpe D'Huez in a wheelchair.
The seven time Guinness World Record holder is attempting the 13.8km climb for charity Team Forces - and also to inspire as she only competes in a run-of-the-mill standard wheelchair.
The Tour de France fan aims to complete the challenge on the morning on July 23, just before stage 19 of this year's men's tour - which features a double ascent for 2026.
In 2024 Lexi wheeled over 1,400km from John O’Groats to Land’s End – climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest 1.5 times and covering a marathon distance every single day, for 35 days - in support of The Exeter Chiefs Foundation and The Aaron Lewis Foundation.
Last year the endurance athlete, who is also an Exeter Chiefs women's team superfan, completed 10 ultramarathons in 10 days using her wheelchair - raising thousands for ChildFund Rugby as she delivered the whistle for the start of the women's rugby world cup.
The Alpe D’Huez challenge is part of a gruelling training regime in preparation for a 2027 attempt of 4,812.2KM coast-to-coast across America in a standard wheelchair - dubbed 'Lexi end2end'.
Lexi is training in Exmouth, including using the seafront Foxhill climb, as well as gym work and using other hills and challenges across Devon.
She said: "It's something that I dreamt up last year when I was doing the ten ultra marathons.
"My last day was really hilly and I thought I've always been a big fan of the Tour de France and I wonder if it's possible to go up Alpe D'Huez, and the first thing that popped into my head was that iconic climb.
"I thought could my chair make it, could I make it?"
All of Lexi's challenges have involved a standard wheelchair, with Lexi explaining: "Bceause I wanted to show people that they don't need specialist kit to engage in sport.
"You've already got what kit that you need, it shouldn't be 'if I can afford a £60,000 wheelchair' then I can do this.
"It should be that you've already got it there so if you've got legs you can go for a run, if you've got a ball you can throw it and if you've got a wheelchair pop and go for a wheel."
To support Lexi's latest challenge click here