Matthias Brändle has set a new world hour record of 51.852km. He broke Jens Voigt's mark by over 700m.
The 24-year-old Austrian beat the 43-year-old German's record from September – 51.11km – at the 200m track at the UCI's headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland. Brändle used a modified Scott Plasma 5 to take the record.
"I feel really great, but during the race it was so hard," Brändle said after the race. "It was good there were so many people here supporting me, because I had a difficult period in the middle of the race where I suffered. I had to go a few laps a little easier, but I could find my rhythm again, and bring it to the end.
"The closer the hour comes, the easier it is, because you know it is coming to an end and you can handle the pain. First I was sure with 30 minutes that I could do it, but then I had a difficult period. I hoped I could recover, and in the end it was enough. I'm really happy about it."
UCI president, Brian Cookson, said:“It is another notch further up. I don’t think it’s out of reach for other riders, it might encourage others to have a go. But it is a really good hour record.” Bradley Wiggins has already declared his interest in taking on the hour record in 2015.
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Video: Brändle's hour record
Brändle is the second athlete to set a new hour record this year, following the UCI's revision of the rules in June, which allows any equipment deemed legal for standard track team and individual pursuits to be admissible in the 60-minute race. Voigt's record beat the 2005 mark of Ondrej Sosenka, who rode 49.7m on a standard, non-aero bike.
Who do you think will be next to take the hour record? Let us know in the comments section below!
