The hour record is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle from a stationary start. Cyclists attempt this record alone on the track without other competitors present. It is considered one of the most prestigious records in cycling. Since it was first set, cyclists ranging from unknown amateurs to well-known professionals have held the record, adding to its prestige, romance and allure. There is now one unified record for upright bicycles meeting the requirements of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Hour-record attempts for UCI bikes are made in a velodrome.
Early hour records (until 1972)
James Moore who set the first recorded hour record of 23.3 km in 1873
The first universally accepted record was in 1876 when the American Frank Dodds rode 26.508 km (16.471 mi) on a penny-farthing.[1] The first recorded distance[2] was set in 1873 by James Moore in Wolverhampton, riding an Ariel 49" high wheel (1.2 m) bicycle; however, the distance was recorded at exactly 14.5 miles (23.3 km), leading to the theory that the distance was just approximated and not accurately measured.[3]
The first officially recognised record was set by Henri Desgrange at the Buffalo Velodrome, Paris in 1893 following the formation of the International Cycling Association, the forerunner of the modern-day UCI. Throughout the run up to the First World War, the record was broken on five occasions by Swiss rider Oscar Egg and Frenchman Marcel Berthet, and due to the attempts being highly popular and guaranteeing rich attendances, it is said that each ensured he did not beat the record by too much of a margin, enabling further lucrative attempts by the other.[nb 1]
The hour was attempted sporadically over the following 70 years, with most early attempts taking place at the Buffalo Velodrome in Paris, before the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan became popular in 1930s and 1940s sparking attempts from leading Italian riders and former Giro d'Italia winners such as Fausto Coppi and Ercole Baldini. Coppi's record set in 1942, during the Second World War, despite Milan being bombed nightly by Allied forces, was eventually broken in 1956 by Jacques Anquetil on his third attempt. In 1967, 11 years later, Anquetil again broke the hour record, with 47.493 km (29.511 mi), but the record was disallowed because he refused to take the newly introduced post-race doping test.[4] He had objected to what he saw as the indignity of having to urinate in a tent in front of a crowded velodrome and said he would take the test later at his hotel. The international judge ruled against the idea, and a scuffle ensued that involved Anquetil's manager, Raphaël Géminiani. In 1968, Ole Ritter broke the record in Mexico City, the first attempt at altitude since Willie Hamilton in 1898.[citation needed]
The women's hour record was first established in 1893 by Mlle de Saint-Sauveur at the Vélodrome Buffalo in Paris, setting a total distance of 26.012 km (16.163 mi). The record was improved several times over the next years, until Louise Roger reached 34.684 km (21.552 mi) in 1897 also at Vélodrome Buffalo.[5] In 1911 the longest standing men's or women's record (37 years) was set by the 157 cm (5 ft 2 in) tall Alfonsina Strada: 37.192 km (23.110 mi) riding a 20 kg (44 lbs) machine.[6][7] From 1947 to 1952, Élyane Bonneau and Jeannine Lemaire set several new hour records, the last of which was 39.735 km (24.690 mi) by Lemaire in 1952.[8][9] The first women's hour record approved by the UCI was by Tamara Novikova in 1955. However Lemaire's 1952 non-UCI record was not bettered until Elsy Jacobs broke the 40 kmh barrier in 1958, the year Jacobs had won the inaugural women's road world championship. Jacobs' 1958 41.347 km UCI record would not be bettered until 1972.
Historical hour records
Men's historical hour records (1873–1972) (UCI official records from 1893)
In 1972, Eddy Merckx set a new hour record at 49.431 km (30.715 mi) in Mexico City at an altitude of 2,300 m (7,500 ft) where he proclaimed it to have been "the hardest ride I have ever done".[12]
The record would stand for 12 years until in January 1984, Francesco Moser set a new record at 51.151 km (31.784 mi). This was the first noted use of disc wheels, which provided an aerodynamic gain as well as Moser wearing a skin suit. Moser's record would eventually be moved in 1997 to "best human effort".[12]
1990s: non-traditional riding positions
In 1993 and 1994, Graeme Obree, who built his own bikes, posted two records with his hands tucked under his chest. In 1994, Moser set the veteran's record at 51.840 km (32.212 mi)[13] in Mexico City. Moser beat his 1984 record, using bullhorn handlebars, steel airfoil tubing, disk wheels and skinsuit. It was also faster than Obree's first record in 1993. Following the outlawing of the "praying mantis" style by the UCI in May 1994, Spaniard Miguel Induráin and Swiss Tony Rominger broke the record using a more traditional tri-bar setup with Rominger setting a distance of 55.291 km.
The Lotus 108 bicycle, a forerunner to the Lotus 110 Chris Boardman used to set a new hour record of 56.375 km (35.030 mi) in 1996.
Chris Boardman took up the challenge using a modified version of the Lotus 110 bicycle, a successor to the earlier Lotus 108 bicycle he'd ridden to victory at the 1992 Olympic Games. South African company Aerodyne Technology built the frame. Boardman set the UCI Absolute record of 56.375 km (35.030 mi) in 1996, using another position pioneered by Obree, his arms out in front in a "Superman" position. This too was considered controversial by the UCI, and while the record was allowed to stand, the position was banned making Boardman's record set in 1996, it was thought, effectively unbeatable using traditional bike position. The record stood as a best human effort until October 2022, when Filippo Ganna unified the records, beating Boardman's best human effort record (and Daniel Bigham's official UCI Hour record) on a traditionally shaped, though uniquely manufactured, bicycle.[12]
1997 UCI rule change
With the increasing gap between modern bicycles and what was available at the time of Merckx's record, the UCI established two records in 1997:
UCI Hour Record: which restricted competitors to roughly the same equipment as Merckx, banning time trial helmets, disc or tri-spoke wheels, aerodynamic bars and monocoque frames.
Best Human Effort: also known as the UCI "Absolute" Record[12] in which modern equipment was permitted.
As a result of the 1997 rule change, all records since 1972, including Boardman's 56.375 km (35.030 mi) in 1996, were moved to Best Human Effort and the distance of Eddy Merckx set in 1972 once more became the official UCI benchmark. In 2000, Boardman attempted the UCI record on a traditional bike, and rode 49.441 km (30.721 mi), topping Merckx by 10 metres (32.8 ft), an improvement of 0.02%.
In 2005, Ondřej Sosenka improved Boardman's performance at 49.700 km (30.882 mi) using a 54×13 gear. However, Sosenka failed a doping control in 2001 and then again in 2008, the latter resulting in a career-ending suspension which puts in doubt the validity of his record. All women's records from 1986 to 1996 were recategorized to Best Human Effort.
The bike used by Jens Voigt in the first attempt under the unified regulations in 2014Former hour record holder Bradley Wiggins, pictured here at the 2013 UCI Road World Championships
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 were returned, however the benchmark record would remain at 49.7 km (30.9 mi) set in 2005 by Ondrej Sosenka, even though that was not the farthest distance.[26][27] 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.[28]
As of October 2022, 26 attempts have been made for the men's record, eight successfully, while nine attempts have been made on the women's record, six of them successfully.
Unified hour record attempts (men's)
Following the change in the rules, German Jens Voigt became the first rider to attempt the hour, on 18 September 2014 at the Velodrome Suisse, Grenchen, Switzerland.[31][32] He set a new record of 51.110 km (31.758 mi), beating the previous record set by Sosenka by 1.41 km (0.88 mi).[12] On 30 October 2014, Matthias Brändle set a new record of 51.852 km (32.219 mi) at the World Cycling Center in Aigle, Switzerland.
Further attempts by Australians Jack Bobridge and Rohan Dennis, and the Dutchman Thomas Dekker came within a few weeks, between 31 January and 25 February 2015. Dennis was the only one of the three to set a new record, and in doing so was the first rider to cover more than 52 kilometres (32.3 mi). Dekker's attempt at the Aguascalientes Bicentenary Velodrome was the first attempt to take place at appreciable altitude. Aguascalientes is at 1,890 m (6,200 ft) above sea level, while Melbourne is at only 31 m (102 ft), and, although in Switzerland, Grenchen and Aigle are at 451 m (1,480 ft) and 415 m (1,362 ft) respectively, and not in the mountains. High altitude is thought to result in faster times, providing the rider takes the time to acclimatise to the conditions.[33] This is because the air density decreases with an increase in altitude, which reduces the aerodynamic drag.[34]
Having postponed an earlier scheduled attempt due to a broken collarbone incurred in a crash while training, British cyclist Alex Dowsett exceeded Dennis's mark, with a new record of 52.937 km (32.894 mi), at Manchester Velodrome on 2 May 2015.[35]
On 16 April 2019, Victor Campenaerts was the first to exceed 55 km/h by completing a distance of 55.089 km (34.231 mi) at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes.[37]
The UCI rules require an athlete to participate in its anti-doping system, including having a biological passport. When Daniel Bigham rode 54.723 km (34.003 mi) to break Wiggins's British national record on 1 October 2021[38] he was ineligible to attempt the UCI record as he was not part of the anti-doping system, estimating it would cost him £8,000.[39]
Men's UCI hour record attempts and record holders (since the rule revision in 2014)[14][15]
The last women's hour record before the unified rule change was set on 1 October 2003 by Leontien van Moorsel, with a distance of 46.065 km (28.623 mi).
In December 2014, it was announced that British Paralympian Sarah Storey would be the first woman to attempt the record following the unified rule change. She attempted the record on 28 February 2015 at Lee Valley Velo Park in London, setting new British, Para-Cycling and Masters Age 35–39 records but missing out on the Elite record with a distance of 45.502 km (28.274 mi).[79]
American Molly Shaffer Van Houweling broke the women's UCI Hour Record, riding a distance of 46.273 km (28.753 mi) on 12 September 2015 in Aguascalientes, Mexico.[80] Van Houweling had set three new US Hour Records in the year prior. The first was set on 15 December 2014, in Carson, California, with a distance of 44.173 km (27.448 mi). The second was set on 25 February 2015, in Aguascalientes with a distance of 45.637 km (28.358 mi). The third was set on 3 July 2015, also in Aguascalientes, with a distance of 46.088 km (28.638 mi). This last mark was also the Pan-American and World Masters Age 40–44 record at the time, and exceeded the distance of the UCI hour record of van Moorsel. However, it did not qualify as the UCI Hour Record because Van Houweling had only been enrolled in the athlete biological passport program for three and a half months prior to setting this record. The UCI requires that riders be enrolled in this program for 5–10 months before they are eligible to set this mark.[81][82] From 24 August 2015, Van Houweling was eligible to attempt the UCI Hour Record.[83]
In October 2015, Australian rider Bridie O'Donnell announced her intention to aim for the hour record in January 2016. She broke the women's hour at the Adelaide Super-Drome on 22 January 2016, riding 46.882 km (29.131 mi). She was aged 41 years. Her record was broken by American rider Evelyn Stevens in the next month - the new record was 47.980 km (29.813 mi), more than a kilometre nearer to the 50 km (31 mi) barrier.
Italian rider Vittoria Bussi, after two unsuccessful attempts on 7 October 2017[84] and on 12 September 2018, broke Stevens' world record by 27 metres riding 48.007 km (29.830 mi) on 13 September 2018.[85]
British cyclist Joss Lowden set a new world record on 30 September 2021 with a distance of 48.405 km (30.077 mi), beating the previous record by just under 400 metres,[86] and also surpassing Jeannie Longo's Best Human Effort distance. Lowden completed a total of 193 laps of the Tissot Velodrome in Grenchen, Switzerland.[87]
On October 13, 2023, Vittoria Bussi set the world record again, at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Mexico, with a 50.267km distance.[88]
Women's UCI hour record attempts and record holders (since the rule revision in 2014)
Set a new World Record, new sea-level World Best and National Record, besting Anna Wilson's former Australian national record of 43.501 km (set on October 18, 2000).[93]
LeCol x McLaren Skinsuit, Poc Tempor Helmet Argon18 Electron Pro track frame, WattShop Cratus chainrings (64x15 gear ratio) and WattShop Pentaxia Olympic/Anemoi handlebars/extensions, FFWD Disc-T SL wheels (front and rear w/ 23c Vittoria Pista tyres). Lowden may have used an 8.5mm pitch chain supplied by New Motion Labs.[87]
The above chart depicts the progression of the men's hour record over time (click to enlarge). Blue markers indicate attempts made under the UCI hour record, orange markers indicate attempts made under the UCI best human effort rules, and green markers indicate attempts made under the unified rules.
The above chart depicts the progression of the women's hour record over time (click to enlarge). Blue markers indicate attempts made under the UCI hour record, orange markers indicate attempts made under the UCI best human effort rules, and green markers indicate attempts made under the unified rules.
Para-cycling records
The new regulations for the making of accepted hour record attempts were extended to para-cycling in 2016.[103] Although the first attempt on the hour record for women after the amendments to the regulations was made by Paralympian Sarah Storey, it was not a ratified attempt on the women's C5 hour record under the new conditions, which at that point still did not extend to paracycling – albeit that Storey's effort is recognized as a best C5 performance under the new rules, in addition to a British and masters world hour record in able-bodied cycling.
The first attempt on a para-cycling hour record after the new regulations were extended to para-cycling was by Irishman Colin Lynch in the C2 category, bettering the accepted best performance previously set by Laurent Thirionet in 1999 by 2 kilometres, and setting the first 'ratified' para-cycling world hour record. The mark of 43.133 km was achieved on 1 October at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, Great Britain.[103]
Men's UCI para-cycling hour record
Unified regulations (since 2016)
C1 Men's UCI para-cycling hour record holders[104]
There are alternative bicycle hour records that do not fit the UCI-sanctioned categories due to a strict definition of a "bicycle" in UCI.[145][citation needed]
Other Hour records
Distance km
Rider
Gender
Hour record type
Comments
Year
92.439
Francesco Russo
Men's
HPV
Vehicle: Metastretto - designed by rider,[146] streamlined 2-wheeled recumbent, backwards ridden, mirror navigated.
2016
84.02
Barbara Buatois
Women's
HPV
4th fastest person at the time. Vehicle: Varna Tempest - low-racer, 2-wheeled FWD, SWB, canopy bubble
2009
83.013
Rubin Koch, Dominik Dusek
Men's
HPV multi-rider, HPV tandem,
HPV tricycle.
Vehicle: Cieo Tandem tricycle – Independent drivetrain, captain supine elevated above stoker – laying on back headfirst
2013
81.63
Kyle Lierich
Men's
HPV tricycle (single rider)
Vehicle: Phantom Mini-T – designed & built by Tim Corbett[147]
2019
66.042
Barbara Buatois
Women's
HPV tricycle
Vehicle: Varna 24 - Delta trike (two wheels in back), head bubble, FWD
Requires gears, no fixed gear, no brakes, always moving forward. Tied with Maria Sperotto in Pursuit-style race.[151]
2021
Notes
^Hutchinson, Michael (2007). The Hour. Penguin Random House. ISBN9780224075206. (Michael Hutchinson. p. 119-120) It is reported that as professionals, Egg and Berthet ensured not to beat the record by too much of a distance, enabling them both to continue to repeatedly break the record and receive lucrative appearance fees
^Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill (2011-10-16). The Historical Dictionary of Cycling. Scarecrow Press. ISBN9780810871755. (Jeroen Heijmans, Bill Mallon) lists three further records after Dodds but before Herbert Cortis. Listed only by surname, 1877, Shopee in Cambridge, 26.960, 1878, Weir, in Oxford, 28.542 and Christie, in 1879, 30.374, also in Oxford.
^"Berthet/Egg Hour Record". Oscar Egg's original distance was recorded at 42.122 km. In July 1913 Richard Weise beat this mark, but following protest from Egg the Buffalo track was re-measured and his result changed to 42.360 km, cancelling out Weise's record
^"The history of the recumbent bicycle". On 7 July 1933 Francis Faure rode 45.055 km on a "Velocar" beating Egg's record. This led to the UCI imposing rules regarding bicycle dimensions on 1 April 1934 and Faure's record was moved into a new category, "Records Set By Human Powered Vehicles (HPV's) without Special Aerodynamic Features"
^Howard, Paul (2008). Sex Lies and Handlebar tape, p237-239. Mainstream Publishing Company, Limited. ISBN9781845963019. (Paul Howard) Anquetil set a record time in 1967 of 47.493 km but the record was never ratified by the UCI following Anquetil's refusal to take a post race doping control, and on 13 October the UCI voted not to allow the record.
^"Voigt breaks world hour record". Cycling News. 2014-09-18. Archived from the original on 2019-08-24. Retrieved 2019-09-18. The Trek Factory Racing rider called an end to his road career at the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado in August, 2014, but soon announced his attempt at the record.
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