Latest Hour Record News

[MattTuck]

After the UCI rule change forced Cancellara to delay his hour record attempt, we may be in for a treat after worlds this year. Here's a round-up of some hour record related news of the last month.

Cancellara (http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/fabian-cancellara-may-attempt-hour-record-world-championships-130239)

“Cancellara and the team are still talking about it. We have to just decide on an exact date,” team Trek’s general manger, Luca Guercilena told Cycling Weekly. “We never abandoned the idea, we just need time to prepare the new equipment.”

American bicycle manufacturer, Trek prepared a new pursuit-style bike for Cancellara to use, so the team only needs to select a date and a place. Guercilena would not say exactly when it would happen, but that it would come after a peak in form – either after the World Championships, the Classics or a grand tour.

“It could be after the worlds this year, after a peak in form,” he continued. “You can’t wait when you’re ready. A road cyclist has to take advantage of the racing season to do it.”

Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/fabian-cancellara-may-attempt-hour-record-world-championships-130239#kFJdv8H8bVBbogVd.99


Matt Bottrill (http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/matt-bottrills-hour-record-attempt-foiled-uci-biological-passport-rule-130911)
British time trial star Matt Bottrill was to put in an attempt at the iconic Hour Record this summer, but a series of setbacks caused by lack of clarity in the rules have forced him to put the attempt on ice.

Bottrill was initially due to attempt the record in August, then September but has now been informed by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) that any rider wishing to attempt the record must be part of its biological passport anti-doping programme.

Currently only riders in WorldTour-level ProTeams, Professional Continental teams and selected other individuals are part of the passport scheme. This rules out the majority of track riders and riders who are not part of top-level international road teams.

Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/matt-bottrills-hour-record-attempt-foiled-uci-biological-passport-rule-130911#GXwHxX54mEAgRcdY.99

Wiggins (http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/bradley-wiggins-target-paris-roubaix-hour-record-130180) However, a subsequent interview suggested he was done with the road, or perhaps done with grand tours. And I didn't see "focus on the hour record" when he was interviewed and gave a more general "focus on the track". Maybe the hour record was implicit when he referred to the track.

This article is from ~July 15, his later comments were ~July 24
Bradley Wiggins has said that he will target next year’s Paris-Roubaix and possibly take on the Hour Record. The 2012 Tour de France winner and Olympic time trial champion also said that he will stay on at Team Sky through 2016, but will never again ride a Grand Tour to win it overall.

In an interview with Italian paper La Gazzetta dello Sport taken at the Pinarello Cycling Marathon in Italy, Wiggins said “I’m thinking about the Hour Record. Not this year but I’ll try next year. And I’ll do it on these bikes because I’m going to stay at Sky.”

Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/bradley-wiggins-target-paris-roubaix-hour-record-130180#3OaM7Er1K5rXzFJb.99

[ceolwulf]

Tony Martin should have a go.

[zoid]

wasn't dan martin going to have a go at it?

[wallymann]

wasn't dan martin going to have a go at it?

dan martin? i never thought of him as being particularly good against the clock.

[tiretrax]

dan martin? i never thought of him as being particularly good against the clock.

I think he confused the Martins.

[MattTuck]

It is interesting. Of the 3 (Cancellara, Wiggins and [Tony] Martin), I wonder if there is some gamesmanship going on.

I'm no fan of the rule change, as I've made abundantly clear in previous threads. I fear that one unintended consequence is making riders less willing to be the 'first' attempt with the new rules. If Cancellara does it first, that gives Wiggins and Martin a benchmark to shoot for, and to focus their training on.

The best position would be A) you go first and dominate it so completely that the others view an attempt as pointless or B) you wait to see what the others do first, then focus your training to beat those marks. The worst would be you go first, then get your record wiped out, and have to train for it again next year.

[seppa]

I don't like this whole biological passport deal, basically means an amature rider can never set a record again, thats like going back to 1993 and telling Chris Boardman that he can't have a go. (I was gonna mention obree too, but we all know how the UCI feels about him).

Bottrill could actually beat the current benchmark for legal bikes/position, though I don't think it would last too long, at least if some big name rider actually has the guts to have a go at it.

[54ny77]

I'm waiting for the UCI to introduce the 32 minute record.