This sliced a full 20 seconds off the previous record of 59 minutes 52 seconds held by Spaniard Fabian Roncero since 1 April 2001.

However, the race was overshadowed after the death of German participant in the race.

Speaking to newspaper i, a source from the event’s organisation said the man, aged around 43, required medical assistance during the race and was taken to Lisbon’s São Francisco Xavier Hospital, where he later died due to heart problems.

The man was part of a group of around 20 Germans who participated in the event through a German agency.