In this candid and raw Tough Girl Podcast EXTRA episode, we reconnect with the unstoppable Vedangi Kulkarni — the youngest woman to have cycled around the world, who's recently returned from doing it again.
Now based in Inverness, Scotland, Vedangi opens up about her second attempt at cycling around the globe — this time not just for the journey, but in pursuit of a Guinness World Record.
From racing Lael Wilcox to navigating border delays, funding pressures, and the relentless physical and mental toll of riding across five continents, Vedangi doesn't hold back.
This conversation is about pushing limits, embracing failures, and finding strength when things don't go to plan.
Highlights from the episode include:
- Breaking a record in the Himalayas (Manali–Leh Highway) in 2023
- Preparing to cycle the world again in 2024 — and finding sponsorship, gear, and coaching
- Struggles of travelling on an Indian passport and the challenge of visa logistics
- Being delayed at borders, detained, and ultimately forced to return to the UK mid-ride due to visa expiry
- Restarting in 2025, finishing the ride under the blazing Indian summer sun
- Dealing with the post-expedition blues and finding her footing again
Vedangi's story is one of resilience, honesty, and fierce determination. Despite knowing she wouldn't get the world record, she kept going — driven by passion, grit, and the belief that stories worth telling are born from adversity.
Now, she's looking ahead to her next expedition, ramping up her YouTube and Substack presence, and continuing to speak openly about the realities of life as a woman of colour in adventure sport.
Heads-up: This episode includes some strong language.
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Show notes
- Who is Vedangi
- From India but currently based in Inverness, Scotland
- The Adventure Shed
- Coming back from her 2nd ride around the world
- Speaking to Vedangi in Sep 22, 2020 - Vedangi Kulkarni - The youngest woman to have circumnavigated the world on bicycle.
- Tough Girl Extra Oct 27, 2022 - Vedangi Kulkarni - Adventurer and endurance athlete moving into mountain biking and crossing Svalbard.
- The focus of this episode - what Vedangi has been up to over the past couple of years
- Deciding to cycle around the world again
- 2023 - visiting the Himalayas and going after a point to point record. GWR for being the fastest women to cycle the Manali-leh Highway
- Getting her win
- June 2023 - starting to be vocal about her goals in 2024
- Getting the sponsorship and funding in place
- Needing £20k
- Working with Canyon Bikes
- Speaking to the bike experts
- Getting a gravel bike and specking it like a road bike
- Being an Ambassador for RAB
- Working with Tailfin - and having custom build gear
- 3D printed mounts
- Struggling to get sponsorship from Indian companies
- Getting only 1 Indian Sponsor at the last moment
- Training and working with Jon Fearne from E3 Coaching
- Following a training plan and putting in the best effort with it
- Applying for visas and planning the route with an Indian passport
- The challenges of getting to the start line
- Racing against Lael Wilcox (who was attempting the same record at the same time)
- "Why do I think I can do this? I don't stand a chance"
- Mental blocks and challenges
- The challenges of travelling on a weaker passport
- Having no room for errors - everything needs to go to plan
- Why it wasn't a level playing field
- Speaking with Lael before heading off - women supporting women
- Knowing that she wasn't going to get the record and keeping on going
- Having a good story to tell
- Dealing with setbacks and failures and keeping on going
- The route and how it was slightly different to the first time
- Starting on the East Coast of India
- Riding across Mongolia and then on to Australia
- Challenges with border crossings and getting detained and delayed
- Needing to fly back to the UK on Christmas Eve due to UK visa regulations
- Needing to stay in the UK for 2 months
- Getting back to India in March 2025 to finish the ride
- The challenges of the heat - going from Scottish winter to an Indian Summer
- Feeling satisfied once the ride was finally done.
- Adventure blues after the ride
- Planning her next record attempt and expedition.
- Wanting to push her limits further
- Why health isn't guaranteed
- One precious life and you've got to get out there and live it
- Balancing everything that's going on
- How to connect with Vedangi on social media
- Kickstarting her YouTube again
- Getting more active on Substack
- Final words of advice for women who want to push on through their barriers
- Embracing failure and not letting it dim your light - it's not always going to go to plan
- Be motivated to try your best
- The journalling process and how it can help mentally with self-esteem
Social Media
Website: vedangi.info
Instagram: @thisisvedangi
LinkedIn: Vedangi Kulkarni
Twitter: @thisisvedangi
Facebook: @wheelsandwords
YouTube: @thisisvedangi
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