Final Laps Jens Voigt - OFFICIAL UCI TRACK WORLD HOUR RECORD

• published: 18 Sep 2014
• views: 7959

UCI hour record The hour record is usually attempted by road cyclists towards the end of their career. This is true of Miguel Indurain (Spain), Francesco Moser (Italy) and Chris Boardman (Great Britain). Eddy Merckx said his hour record attempt was "the hardest ride I have ever done". It was set in 1972 in Mexico City at an altitude of 2,300m (7,550 ft). In January 1984, Moser set two records, the second being 51.151 km (31.784 mi). This was the first noted use of disc wheels, which provided aerodynamic benefit. In 1993 and 1994, Graeme Obree, a Scot who built his own bikes, posted two records with his hands tucked under his chest. In 1996, Boardman set a record using another position pioneered by Obree, his arms out in front in a Superman position. Both were considered controversial by the UCI, and while the records were allowed to stand, the positions were banned. Obree and Boardman made several attempts to top the previous record. With the increasing gap between modern bicycles and what was available at the time of Merckx's record, the UCI established two records: the UCI Hour Record (which restricts competitors to roughly the same equipment as Merckx, disallowing time trial helmets, disc or tri-spoke wheels, aerodynamic bars and monocoque frames) and the Best Human Effort - sometimes termed the UCI "Absolute" Record. Unified rule change In 2014 the UCI unified the two classifications into a single classification in line with regulations for current track pursuit bikes. Records previously removed for Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree would be returned, however the current record would remain at 49.700 km set in 2005 by Ondrej Sosenka, even though that is not the furthest distance.[3][4] Under the new regulations riders may use any bike allowed by the UCI standards for endurance track events in place at the time of the attempt[5][citation needed]; Riders are required to be part of the Athlete Biological Passport Program.[6] Following the change in the rules, German Jens Voigt became the first rider of the current generation to attempt the hour on 18 September 2014 at the Velodrome Suisse, Grenchen,Switzerland. [7][8]. He set a new record of 51.115, beating the previous record set by Sosenka by just over 1km. Date Rider Age Velodrome Distance (km) Equipment 25 October 1972 Eddy Merckx 27 Mexico City 49.431 (b) drop handlebar/round steel tubing frame/wire spokes 23 January 1984 Francesco Moser 32 Mexico City 51.151 (c) bull-horn handlebar/oval steel tubing frame/disk wheels 17 July 1993 Graeme Obree 27 Vikingskipet, Hamar, Norway 51.596 (c) Graeme Obree-style "praying mantis" handlebar/round steel tubing frame/carbon tri-spoke wheels 23 July 1993 Chris Boardman 24 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 52.270 (c) triathlon handlebar/carbon airfoil tubing frame/carbon 4-spoke wheels 15 January 1994 Francesco Moser 42 Mexico City 51.840 Graeme Obree-style "praying mantis" handlebar/chest-pad on top frame/wheels unknown; UCI veteran's record 27 April 1994 Graeme Obree 28 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 52.713 (c) Graeme Obree-style "praying mantis" handlebar/round steel tubing frame/carbon tri-spoke wheels 2 September 1994 Miguel Indurain 30 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 53.040 (c) wide triathlon handlebar/carbon monocoque aero frame/disk wheels 22 October 1994 Tony Rominger 33 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 53.832 (c) triathlon handlebar/oval steel tubing frame/disk wheels 5 November 1994 Tony Rominger 33 Velodrome du Lac, Bordeaux 55.291 (c) triathlon handlebar/oval steel tubing frame/disk wheels 6 September 1996 Chris Boardman 28 Manchester, UK 56.375 (c) Graeme Obree "superman-style" handlebar/carbon monocoque aero frame/5-spoke front & rear disk wheels 27 October 2000 Chris Boardman 32 Manchester, UK 49.441 (b) drop handlebar/carbon fibre tubing/wire spokes 19 July 2005 Ondřej Sosenka 29 Moscow, Russia 49.700 (a)(b) drop handlebar/carbon fibre tubing/wire spokes; current UCI unified record 18 September 2014 Jens Voigt 43 Grenchen, Switzerland, UK 51.115 (a) Aerobars, modified triathlon bike, front & rear disc wheels ------------------------------ ★ Facebook: http://www.letourdeplants.com ★ Instagram: http://instagram.com/letourdeplants ★ Strava: http://www.strava.com/clubs/letourdeplants ★ Twitter: http://twitter.com/LeTourDePlants ★ Nutrition research summaries: http://nutritionfacts.org ★ Fellow vegan cyclist: http://www.durianrider.com