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The cyclist who broke world records in resistance to cycling, Carlos Vieira, died on Tuesday at the Leiria hospital, where he was admitted days ago after a positive diagnosis of covid-19, the family announced.
The “firefighter-cyclist”, as he was known for his professional and sporting activities, was weakened by the health complications that have weakened him in recent years, and could not resist catching the new coronavirus. He was 68 years old.
Carlos Vieira rose to fame in 1983, when he broke the world record for cycling endurance: for 191 hours he pedaled non-stop, covering almost three thousand kilometers in the old Municipal Stadium of Leiria.
In 1990 Carlos Vieira set a new Guinness record for resistance to the bicycle, but on rollers, a brand manufactured in New Jersey, United States of America.
Back in Leiria, in 2014, he pedaled 15 hours and 14 minutes on wheels on top of a fire truck and, in 2018, he set a new record, riding the bike for eight hours with one hand.
A convinced religious, Carlos Vieira also made connections between Leiria and the Vatican by bicycle, being received by Popes João Paulo II and Francisco.
Before that, as a road cyclist, he competed for various clubs, having represented Alverca, Sporting, Flores do Lis, Cela, Bairro dos Anjos, Núcleo Sportinguista de Leiria, Casa de Benfica de Leiria and União de Ciclismo de Leiria. .
In a note released today, the municipality of Leiria expresses “deep regret” for the death of Carlos Vieira. The mayor considers that the municipality is “poorer with the departure of a beloved member.”
«Carlos Vieira was an exemplary citizen and a great ambassador for Leiria. Whether as a firefighter or as a great champion, he projected Leiria’s image around the world like few others. Wherever he went, Carlos Vieira always spoke with great pride about his city, Leiria, “said Gonçalo Lopes.
