Matthias Brandle to attempt Hour Record

[FlashUNC]

Lots of Jens platitudes in here, but a 24 year old gunning for the Hour Record.
like the UCI is reviving some interest in the thing wit their tweaks, particularly with what appears to be a beatable mark set by Jens.

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/10/matthias-brandle-confirms-hell-attack-voigts-hour-record/

Hopefully 2015 brings the big guns out to play on this one...

[carpediemracing]

If I were a not-at-the-top rider that could put down, say, a 440-450w FTP number, I'd be all over that Hour Record as soon as possible. When the Wiggins and Martins hit it it's going to be crazy high. But for now it's a perfect publicity vehicle for a strong rider.

For example there's a local pro, U23, and he got 3rd at the national TT. His numbers are pretty nutty. In a break during a training race just before the TT he lapped the A field something like 3 times by himself. Avg 450w or something for the hour. In the TT he got 3rd, avg 490w for 33 min. He's tall so I figured that's got to be a reason why he didn't win.

If I was him (or one of the other U23 podium finishers) I'd want to give the hour record a shot.

Why?

Voigt said he was targeting 370w for his average power. He ended up slightly more aero than expected and put down a lot more power than planned. His first half hour was just over 400w, according to a handler they interviewed at about 35-40 minutes into the hour. He sped up at the end so let's say conservatively he was at 405w for the first 30 minutes, maybe he did 425w for the second, giving him about 415w for the hour. This is a tall guy so definitely some penalty for that, but not really any bigger than the local pro.

Therefore if I were a strong rider who could put down 450w for an hour and I was shorter than Voigt on the bike then I'd be dying to get out on the track and go for the record.

I think Colby Pearce is one of the guys that could do something like this but at a much lower wattage. He's small on the bike and his power numbers read like an average Cat 3. Yet he held (holds?) the US hour record. I want to say he averaged something like 300w but I don't know if that's right. Whatever the number it's low. Heck I have teammates that have FTPs in the 370w range. Strong, sure, but a normal rider in the scheme of things.

[carpediemracing]

311 watts.
http://www.colbypearce.com/us-hour-record/

Also two other thoughts.

A local Cat 3 does 485w efforts for 5 minutes, and he can repeat that. Obviously as a 3 he only has results locally.

A formerly local Cat 1 showed me an interval workout he wanted me to do. His power graph showed him doing 5 minute efforts at 500w, with about a minute or three rest between, for a total of five efforts. So 25 minutes at 500w. He placed once in the Elite RR (3rd) but nothing nationally other than that.

[CunegoFan]

Don't worry. If he doesn't make it then the UCI will change the rules to make it easier. All in the name of stimulating interest, of course.