Wheelchair Warrior Tackles Iconic Tour de France Climb

Wheelchair athlete Lexi Chambers is preparing to set a new world record by scaling the iconic Alpe d'Huez, a notoriously difficult stage of the Tour de France. The climb, scheduled for July 23rd, will see Chambers ascend 6,100 feet over 14 kilometers in a standard manual wheelchair. This feat is particularly inspiring as Chambers, a former NHS nurse and Army veteran, aims to demonstrate that specialized equipment is not a barrier to engaging in sport.

Chambers, who has fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome and uses a wheelchair following a leg amputation in 2018, has already secured seven Guinness World Records. Her previous achievements include fastest marathon and half marathon in a non-sports wheelchair, and the fastest Lands End to John o'Groats journey by a female wheelchair user. The Alpe d'Huez challenge is a stepping stone for her larger goal: a coast-to-coast USA journey from San Diego to Florida in March 2027.

She has been training rigorously, completing three marathons weekly alongside gym sessions, and previously conquered 10 ultramarathons in 10 days in 2025. The Alpe d'Huez climb, with gradients reaching 18%, is significant, especially compared to the UK's Ben Nevis. Chambers undertakes these challenges to promote sports participation for all, raise funds for the charity Team Forces, and support women's rugby, hoping her efforts inspire others to engage in athletic pursuits.