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Fabian Cancellara to attempt the Hour record

Details to be resolved, but Manchester a possible venue for record tilt in 2014
by Simon_MacMichael
Sat, Nov 16, 2013 19:30
18

Fabian Cancellara, four times world time trial champion, is to attempt the Hour record – with Manchester’s velodrome a possible venue.

Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport says that the 32-year-old Swiss rider will discuss the possible record attempt with Trek Factory Racing team manager Luca Guercilena when the team’s 2014 line-up is presented next Tuesday.

Guercilena told the newspaper: "Above all, with Trek engineers, we will focus on materials, then we will pick the right time for the attempt.

"The ideal would be to do it straight after [Cancellara] peaks in form –  he’d need  three weeks of adaptation specific to the track."

Manchester is reportedly one of the tracks being considered, together with Anadia in Portugal and Aguascalientes in Mexico, all three having a reputation for fast speeds.

Another issue to be resolved is when any attempt on the record might be made – Cancellara has already made the Spring Classics, where he will be defending his titles at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, his main early season target.

Guercilena said that the attempt might be made either after the Spring Classics or following the first of the two Grand Tours Cancellara is aiming to ride next season.

The Gazzetta dello Sport says it’s unclear at the moment whether he will ride the Giro and Vuelta, or the Tour de France and the Vuelta, although it adds the latter seems more likely.

The current holder of the Hour record ratified by world cycling’s governing body, the UCI, is 49.7km, set by Ondřej Sosenka of the Czech Republic, set in Moscow in 2005.

His record distance was set a decade or so after the Hour captured the imagination of cycling fans in the UK and elsewhere as Chris Boardman, Graeme Obreee, Francesco Moser, Miguel Indurain and Tony Romiger all vied in the mid-1990s to set the farthest distance in 60 minutes.

In 1996, Boardman set a distance of 56.375km using the “Superman” position pioneered by Obree, but the same year saw the UCI change the rules due to advances in equipment and riding styles, including aerodynamics, and making a distinction between the Best Human Record and the UCI Hour Record.

Eddy Merckx’s benchmark distance of 49.431km set in 1972 was reinstated as the official UCI Hour Record and was eventually bettered by Boardman at Manchester in 2000.

The British rider, using a traditional track bike, set a distance of 49.441km – just 10 metres better than Merckx – in a ride famously captured in the documentary, The Final Hour.

The hour
Graeme Obree
Fabian Cancellara
chris boardman
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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18 comments

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jarredscycling | 10 years ago
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It would be really cool to see renewed interest in the hour record

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Lifer | 10 years ago
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I think it was on the Eurosport podcast where they were talking about how awesome it would be to have 2/3 riders (Fab, Martin, Wiggo?) attempting the hour record at the same time in different velodromes, with full split screen footage etc. Would love to see that!

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notfastenough replied to Lifer | 10 years ago
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Lifer wrote:

I think it was on the Eurosport podcast where they were talking about how awesome it would be to have 2/3 riders (Fab, Martin, Wiggo?) attempting the hour record at the same time in different velodromes, with full split screen footage etc. Would love to see that!

Now THAT would be mental!

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James Warrener | 10 years ago
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I asked someone who should know at the weekend and they said Bradley will never be interested in doing it.

Hope they are wrong.

But this person was connected enough to call Sir David Brailsford, "Dave"

1

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NeilXDavis | 10 years ago
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IMO they should apply the current rules governing pursuit bikes for the hour record.

Its great to see someone have a crack at it but cycling (for many of us but I acknowledge not all) it about improvements in tech.

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bohrhead | 10 years ago
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Can't wait to see how long it takes him

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notfastenough replied to bohrhead | 10 years ago
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bohrhead wrote:

Can't wait to see how long it takes him

Er... an hour?!

Would be awesome though. I can imagine trying to explain to my missus that I want to go and watch:

Me: "Well, it's one guy, who's not from here, riding on his own, at a steady pace, round in circles. It'll be really exciting!"

Her: "Eh?!"

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minnellium replied to bohrhead | 10 years ago
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bohrhead wrote:

Can't wait to see how long it takes him

41

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pwake | 11 years ago
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Some kind of competition between current riders would be great, but I'm sure we will never see the likes of the Obree/Boardman rivalry again. That's mainly because we are very unlikely to ever see anyone like Mr Obree again! I can't imagine Spartacus marginally missing the record, so then keeping himself up all night by drinking copious amounts of water, in order not to stiffen-up, then going back the next day and breaking the record.
And if you tell that to kids today they won't believe you!

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Giantroad | 11 years ago
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When Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree swapped the hour record on a number of occasions in the 90's with there innovative bikes it was a golden era.
Then the UCI step in and ban the modified riding positions of Chris and Graeme ....... How boring ...... and a step back in time.

A radical riding position UCI is riding a recumbent styled bike.

Sport is about improvement .... development and entertainment.

Could Bradley Wiggins take Chris's 56.375 km Record.

Ps Each year they motorcycle riders get faster and faster at the Isle of Man TT due to development of equipment etc

Good luck Fabian

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Blackhound | 11 years ago
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Would love to go and watch if in Manchester. Think 'Spartacus' would get a lot of support over here.

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Flying Heron | 11 years ago
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This would be awesome!!!!!

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stefv | 11 years ago
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Awesome. I thought it was something riders had to dedicate a lot of training to though, rather than just having a go after the Spring classics?

The Boardman documentary is on YouTube in full btw.

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sm | 11 years ago
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Wow, TdF in Yorkshire and now this potentially in Manchester. Bring it on.

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evo111 | 11 years ago
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Something really special about the hour record. I will watch and await with interest to see who will attempt it … 105

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Tripod16 | 11 years ago
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Wiggo, Martin and Cancellara, that woud make for a great competition if the others were interested... 36

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Rob Lel | 11 years ago
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Agreed 4

Would be fantastic if this inspired several riders to compete against each other

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Simon E | 11 years ago
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Brilliant.

And could this possibly spur Wiggins to attempt it too?

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