Hour record facts for kids
The hour record is a super cool challenge in cycling! It's all about how far a cyclist can ride their bicycle in just one hour, starting from a stop. Cyclists try to break this record all by themselves on a special track called a velodrome.
It's one of the most famous records in cycling. Many different riders, from unknown people to famous pros, have held the record. This makes it even more exciting and special. Today, there's one main record for regular upright bicycles that follow the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
Contents
Early Hour Records (Before 1972)
The first widely accepted record was set in 1876 by an American named Frank Dodds. He rode 26.508 kilometers on a penny-farthing bicycle. Before that, in 1873, James Moore rode about 23.3 kilometers. But people weren't sure if his distance was measured perfectly.
In 1893, Henri Desgrange set the first official record in Paris. This happened after a group called the International Cycling Association was formed. This group later became the UCI, which makes the rules for cycling today.
Before World War I, French riders Oscar Egg and Marcel Berthet broke the record five times. People loved watching these attempts! It's said that these professional riders didn't break the record by too much each time. This way, they could keep trying again and again, earning more money from the popular events.
Over the next 70 years, cyclists kept trying to break the record. Many early attempts were in Paris. Later, the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan, Italy, became popular in the 1930s and 1940s. Famous Italian riders like Fausto Coppi and Ercole Baldini tried to set new records there. Coppi set a record in 1942, even during World War II when Milan was being bombed!
In 1956, Jacques Anquetil broke Coppi's record. Anquetil tried again in 1967 and rode 47.493 kilometers. But his record wasn't allowed because he refused to take a new drug test after the race. In 1968, Ole Ritter broke the record in Mexico City. This was one of the first times someone tried the record at a high altitude, which can help riders go faster.
The women's hour record started in 1893 with Mlle de Saint-Sauveur, who rode 26.012 kilometers in Paris. The record kept improving. In 1911, Alfonsina Strada, a small rider, set a record of 37.192 kilometers on a heavy bike. This record lasted for 37 years, which is a very long time!
From 1947 to 1952, Élyane Bonneau and Jeannine Lemaire set several new women's records. Lemaire's last record in 1952 was 39.735 kilometers. The first women's record approved by the UCI was by Tamara Novikova in 1955. However, Lemaire's 1952 record was finally beaten in 1958 by Elsy Jacobs. She was the first woman to ride more than 40 kilometers in an hour, reaching 41.347 kilometers! Jacobs' record stood until 1972.
UCI Hour Record (1972–2014)
Merckx, Moser, and New Technology
In 1972, Eddy Merckx set a new hour record, riding 49.431 kilometers in Mexico City. Mexico City is at a high altitude (2300 meters), which can help cyclists go faster because the air is thinner. Merckx said it was "the hardest ride I have ever done."
His record lasted for 12 years. Then, in 1984, Francesco Moser set a new record of 51.151 kilometers. Moser was the first to use special disc wheels on his bike, which made it more aerodynamic. He also wore a tight-fitting "skin suit." Moser's record was later moved to a different category called "best human effort" because of the new technology he used.
Non-Traditional Riding Positions in the 1990s
In 1993 and 1994, Graeme Obree broke the record twice. He even built his own bikes! He rode with his hands tucked under his chest in a unique way.
In 1994, Moser set a record for older riders, going 51.840 kilometers in Mexico City. He used special handlebars, disc wheels, and a skin suit. This was even faster than Obree's first record.
Later, the UCI banned Obree's "praying mantis" riding style. After that, riders like Miguel Induráin and Tony Rominger broke the record using more traditional handlebars. Rominger rode an amazing 55.291 kilometers!
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Chris Boardman then tried the record using a special bike called the Lotus 110. He set a new record of 56.375 kilometers in 1996. He used another unique position where his arms were stretched out in front, like Superman. The UCI thought this position was also too much of an advantage and later banned it. This made Boardman's record seem unbeatable with regular bikes. However, in 2022, Filippo Ganna broke Boardman's record using a modern, but traditionally shaped, bicycle.
UCI Rule Change in 1997
Because bikes were getting so advanced, the UCI made new rules in 1997. They created two different records:
- UCI Hour Record: This record only allowed bikes and equipment similar to what Eddy Merckx used in 1972. This meant no special time trial helmets, disc wheels, aerodynamic handlebars, or fancy frames.
- Best Human Effort: This record allowed modern equipment and technology.
Because of these new rules, all records set after 1972, including Boardman's 56.375 kilometers, were moved to the "Best Human Effort" category. Eddy Merckx's 1972 distance of 49.431 kilometers became the official UCI Hour Record again.
In 2000, Chris Boardman tried the UCI record with a traditional bike. He rode 49.441 kilometers, just 10 meters more than Merckx! In 2005, Ondřej Sosenka improved Boardman's record to 49.700 kilometers. But Sosenka later failed drug tests, which made people question his record. All women's records from 1986 to 1996 were also moved to "Best Human Effort."
UCI Unified Hour Record (2014–Present)
Unified Rule Change in 2014
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In 2014, the UCI changed the rules again. They combined the two record categories into one. Now, riders can use any bike that is allowed for track cycling races. This meant that records previously removed for riders like Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree were recognized again. However, the official record to beat was still Ondrej Sosenka's 49.7 kilometers from 2005.
Riders must also be part of a special anti-doping program. Many top professional cyclists have tried to break the record since 2014. As of October 2022, 26 men have tried, and eight have succeeded. Nine women have tried, and six have succeeded.
Unified Hour Record Attempts (Men's)
After the rules changed, German cyclist Jens Voigt was the first to try the record on September 18, 2014. He set a new record of 51.110 kilometers! This beat Sosenka's record by 1.41 kilometers. On October 30, 2014, Matthias Brändle broke Voigt's record, riding 51.852 kilometers.
More riders tried in early 2015, including Australians Jack Bobridge and Rohan Dennis, and Dutchman Thomas Dekker. Dennis was the only one of these three to set a new record, becoming the first rider to go over 52 kilometers! Dekker's attempt was at a high altitude in Mexico, which can help riders go faster because there's less air resistance.
British cyclist Alex Dowsett then broke Dennis's record on May 2, 2015, riding 52.937 kilometers.
On June 7, 2015, the famous British cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins broke Dowsett's record. He rode an amazing 54.526 kilometers in London!
On April 16, 2019, Victor Campenaerts became the first to ride over 55 kilometers in an hour! He completed 55.089 kilometers in Mexico.
Recently, on August 19, 2022, Daniel Bigham set a new record of 55.548 kilometers. Then, on October 8, 2022, Filippo Ganna broke that record with an incredible 56.792 kilometers! He also beat Chris Boardman's "Best Human Effort" record.
Unified Hour Record Attempts (Women's)
The last women's hour record before the rules changed was set by Leontien van Moorsel in 2003, with 46.065 kilometers.
In December 2014, British Paralympian Sarah Storey was the first woman to try the record under the new rules. On February 28, 2015, she rode 45.502 kilometers. This set new British and Para-Cycling records for her age group, but it wasn't enough to break the main Elite record.
American Molly Shaffer Van Houweling broke the women's UCI Hour Record on September 12, 2015, riding 46.273 kilometers in Mexico. She had already set several US records before this.
In January 2016, Australian rider Bridie O'Donnell broke the record, riding 46.882 kilometers. She was 41 years old! Her record was then broken by American rider Evelyn Stevens the very next month. Stevens set a new record of 47.980 kilometers, getting much closer to the 50-kilometer mark.
Italian rider Vittoria Bussi broke Stevens' world record on September 13, 2018, riding 48.007 kilometers. She beat the old record by just 27 meters!
British cyclist Joss Lowden set a new world record on September 30, 2021, with a distance of 48.405 kilometers. She beat the previous record by almost 400 meters!
On May 23, 2022, Dutch rider Ellen van Dijk set a new record of 49.254 kilometers, beating Lowden's record by 849 meters.
Most recently, on October 13, 2023, Vittoria Bussi broke the world record again! She rode an amazing 50.267 kilometers in Mexico, becoming the first woman to break the 50-kilometer barrier!
Images for kids
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This chart shows how the men's hour record has changed over time. Blue markers are for the UCI hour record, orange for "best human effort," and green for the unified rules.
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This chart shows how the women's hour record has changed over time. Blue markers are for the UCI hour record, orange for "best human effort," and green for the unified rules.
Para-Cycling Records
The rules for the hour record were also extended to para-cycling in 2016. This means cyclists with disabilities can also try to set official hour records.
Sarah Storey was the first Paralympian to try the women's record after the new rules. Even though her attempt wasn't officially a "para-cycling" record under the new rules at the time, it's still recognized as a great performance for her category.
The first official para-cycling hour record under the new rules was set by Irishman Colin Lynch in the C2 category. He rode 43.133 kilometers on October 1, 2016, beating a previous best performance by 2 kilometers.
Men's UCI Para-Cycling Hour Record
- Unified Regulations (Since 2016)
| Date | Rider | Age | Velodrome | Distance (km) | Supported by | Equipment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 December 2018 |  Michael Teuber |
50 | Berlin, Germany | 42.583 (New record) |
| Date | Rider | Age | Velodrome | Distance (km) | Supported by | Equipment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 October 2016 |  Colin Lynch |
45 | Manchester Velodrome, Manchester, England | 43.133 (New record) |
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| 16 July 2022 | Ewoud Vromant | 39 | Tissot Velodrome, Grenchen, Switzerland | 46.521(New record) |
Women's UCI Para-Cycling Hour Record
- Unified Regulations (Since 2016)
| Date | Rider | Age | Velodrome | Distance (km) | Supported by | Equipment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 February 2015 |  Sarah Storey |
37 | Manchester Velodrome Manchester, England | 45.502 (New record) |
Other Bicycle Hour Records
Besides the main UCI records, there are many other cool hour records for different types of bikes! For example, there are records for:
- HPV (Human Powered Vehicle) bikes: These are often very streamlined and fast, like a bullet on wheels!
- Recumbent bikes: Where the rider lies back while pedaling.
- Tandem bikes: Bikes for two riders.
- Tricycles: Bikes with three wheels.
- Cargo bikes: Bikes designed to carry heavy loads.
- Penny-farthings: Those old bikes with a huge front wheel.
- Unicycles: Bikes with only one wheel!
- Wheelie: Riding on just the back wheel for an hour!
- Slowest hour record: Yes, there's even a record for going the slowest while still moving forward!
These different records show how many ways people can challenge themselves on a bicycle!
See also
In Spanish: Récord de la hora para niños
