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World Records
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Hour Record Women
Longo 5 Dec 2000 45.094km
  		Best Hour Preformance Men
Boardman Sep 6 1996 56.375 km
 
Best Hour Performance Women
Longo Oct 26 1996 48.159 km
  		Hour Record Men
Boardman 27 Oct 2000 49.442 km
 
Roller Record
Nüscheler 16 Sep 2000 160.4 km
World Hour Record: A brief history In 1893, the first officially recorded distance of 35.325 km was established in Paris by Frenchman, Henri Desgrange, the founder of the Tour de France. Since the early 1980's many technological developments in bicycle frame and wheel design have evolved for hour record attempts. The Technical Commission of the UCI has recently revised the equipment regulations covering the hour record for cycling, and have decided to revert to a "standard" bicycle and wheels for such record attempts.
Equipment rules now in place, have caused the distance of 56.375 km covered by the British cyclist, Chris Boardman in 1996 to be changed to the "Best Hour Performance" and the UCI hour record has reverted to 1972 mark of Eddy Merckx (Belgium) at 49.431 km. Boardman will make a record attempt on a machine that meets the UCI's approval in late October, during the World Track Cycling championships in Manchester, England. This will be Boardman's farewell to International cycling and he hopes to recapture the coveted title of "Hour Record Holder" in his final event. Women's Record Tamara Novikova (Russia) was the first to hold the women's hour distance at 38.473 km set on July, 7,1955. The current mark is held by Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (France) at 48.159 km, and was set at altitude in Mexico on October 26, 1996. It will, like Boardman's also be voided, because of the equipment used. The UCI are currently deciding the legitimacy of equipment used in all of the preceding women's attempts. The most likely distance to be approved will be that of Cornelia Van Oosten-Hage (Holland), 43.082 km on September 16, 1978 or the 41.087 km covered by the Russian cyclist, Olga Sidorenko on October 20, 1982. Both these marks are believed to have been set before the advent of the hi-tech bicycles and disc wheels.
New/Old Standard technical specifications of the bike. The frame has to be triangular, made of steel, with tubes between 2.5 and 8 cm thickness. The wheels have to be identically sized, with no fewer than 18 (unbladed) spokes and the rim no deeper than 13mm.
History of the Men Hour Record
35.325 kmHenri DesgrangeFraMay 11, 1893Paris (Buffalo)
38.220 kmJules Dubois FraOctober 31, 1894Paris (Buffalo)
39.240 kmOscar Van den EyndeBelJuly 30, 1897Paris (Vincennes)
40.781 kmWillie HamiltonUSAJuly 9, 1898Denver (USA)
41.110 kmLucien Petit-BretonFraAugust 24, 1905Paris (Buffalo)
41.520 kmMarcel Berthet FraJune 20, 1907Paris (Buffalo)
42.360 kmOscar EggSwiAugust 22, 1912Paris (Buffalo)
42.741 kmMarcel Berthet FraAugust 7, 1913Paris (Buffalo)
43.525 kmOscar EggSwiAugust 21, 1913Paris (Buffalo)
43.775 kmMarcel Berthet FraSeptember 20, 1913Paris (Buffalo)
44.247 kmOscar EggSwiJune 18, 1914Paris (Buffalo)
44.588 kmJan Van HoutNedAugust 25, 1933Roermond
44.777 kmMaurice RichardFraAugust 29, 1933Saint-Trond
45.067 kmGiuseppe OlmoItaOctober 31, 1935Milan
45.375 kmMaurice RichardFraOctober 14, 1936Milan
45.535 kmFrans SlaatsNedSeptember 29, 1937Milan
45.817 kmMaurice ArchambaudFraNovember 3, 1937Milan
45.848 kmFausto CoppiItaNovember 7, 1942Milan
46.159 kmJacques AnquetilFraJune 29, 1956Milan
46.393 kmErcole BaldiniItaSeptember 19, 1956Milan
46.923 kmRoger RivičreFraSeptember 18, 1957Milan
47.346 kmRoger RivičreFraSeptember 23, 1958Milan
48.093 kmFerdinand BrackeBelOctober 30, 1967Rome
48.653 kmOle RitterDenOctober 10, 1968Mexico City
49.431 kmEddy MerckxBelOctober 25, 1972Mexico City
50.808 kmFrancesco MoserItaJanuary 19, 1984Mexico City
51.151 kmFrancesco MoserItaJanuary 23, 1984Mexico City
51.596 kmGraeme ObreeGBrJuly 17, 1993Hamar
52.270 kmChris BoardmanGBrJuly 23, 1993Bordeaux
52.713 kmGraeme ObreeGBrApril 27, 1994Bordeaux
53.040 kmMiguel IndurainSpaOctober 2, 1994Bordeaux
53.832 kmTony RomingerSwiOctober 22, 1994Bordeaux
55.291 kmTony RomingerSwiNovember 5, 1994Bordeaux
56.375 kmChris BoardmanGBrSeptember 6, 1996Manchester
Women World Hour Record

Jeannie Longo sets another hour record
Frenchwoman Jeannie Longo finally had things go her way in Mexico City today after over a month of trying, when she beat her own hour record of 44.767 km set on November 5. Starting at 16:15 local time, Longo rode 45.094 kilometres for an hour in a UCI approved position, without being impeded by wind, rain, punctures or poor physical form. Although Longo's November 5 attempt on Mexico's Velodrome Olympique (2240m altitude) was successful, she felt she had to try and raise the bar above 45 kilometres. She tried several times in the following weeks before eventually returning home to Grenoble. She flew from France to Mexico last Thursday, and was to have made an attempt on Sunday afternoon, but poor weather forced her to postpone. It wasn't until Thursday that she was satisfied with the conditions. 42 year old Longo has won just about every major title in women's cycling, including 12 world titles and participation in every Olympics since 1984, when female cyclists first competed. She also holds the "absolute" hour record, set under the old rules (48.159 km on October 26, 1996).
Jeannie Longo sets new hour record
Jeannie Longo Hour Record

Veteran French rider Jeannie Longo broke the world one-hour record
with 44.767 kilometers on Sunday Nov 5 2000.
Just a short time after Australian Anna Wilson's hour mark of 43.501 kilometres, set on Oct 18 in Melbourne was officially ratified by the UCI, Veteran Frenchwoman Jeannie Longo broke it. Longo, who recently turned 42, covered 44.767 kilometres (135 circuits of the 333.3 meter oval) in one hour on Mexico's Velodrome Olympique, beating Wilson's mark by over a kilometre. If the UCI ratifies this, then Longo will hold both absolute and UCI hour records, after she rode 48.159 kilometres in Mexico four years ago setting the absolute record.
Longo is a veteran of the sport, having competed in five Olympic Games and many World Championships. She has won a total of 12 World titles and broken the hour record five times, as well as winning the Olympic Road Race in Atlanta in 1996.
"This is a great challenge for me at 42 years, it's even bigger than breaking the world record," said Longo, adding that she may even try to break the record again next week as she has reserved the velodrome until November 12.
"This is something special that I have enjoyed a lot and that I wanted to get back. Now I've done it and I will try and do it again in the week," Longo said. Longo also holds the world one-hour record of 48.159 km for a high-tech machine which she set on the same Mexico City track in 1996.
The 42-year-old Frenchwoman said she had wanted to stop after 20 minutes into the run because she felt hampered by the wind. "I wanted to abandon the attempt but my trainer and husband (Patrice Cipralli) didn't let me and said I was doing well and that I should carry on."
Longo, a multi-women's Tour de France winner, world champion and Olympic medallist, said she would stay in Mexico another week to try to improve the mark. "I'm going to keep on training and I hope to try it again. I feel fantastic and very confident." She said recent rule changes by the governing International Cycling Union (UCI) did not affect her and she respected them.
Brief Bio
Born: October 31, 1958 in Saint-Gervais, France
Height: 1.64 m
Weight: 47 kg

Australian cyclist, Anna Wilson sets a new World Hour Record on the Vodafone Arena Velodrome in Melbourne, Australia, October 18, 2000
The attempt was made on UCI approved equipment, after recent changes to the UCI regulations for record attempts. Supervising the record ride was the UCI appointed International Commissaire (official), Karen O'Callaghan of Melbourne, assisted by National cycling officials. The record attempt was facilitated by the Melbourne based Cycling Promoters, Cyclists International, a non-profit organization that has existed for 28 years in order to help cyclists.
The record (we think!) is 43.08292 km, set by Cornelia Van Oosten-Hage on September 16, 1978.
Anna Wilson "standard" track bike? It is a steel pan-brown Perkins (Columbus frame) on a 92 inch gear, and standard unbladed spoked wheels (box section rims). The tires are Continentals
When the gun went off to signify the end of the attempt. The distance? 174 laps = 43.5 kilometres. A new mark has been set!
She actually finished the hour fractionally after the finish line of lap 174, but the exact distance was be calculated on the basis of her subsquent lap: 43.501 kilometres. The UCI may take up to 3 weeks to ratify the attempt, dependent on the drug test and the commissaire's track report.
Cyclingnews.com spoke with the UCI commissaire, Karen O'Callaghan after the attempt to discuss the technical specifications of the bike in more detail. The frame has to be triangular, made of steel, with tubes between 2.5 and 8 cm thickness. The wheels have to be identically sized, with no fewer than 18 (unbladed) spokes and the rim no deeper than 13mm.

Longo next for the hour 29 Oct 2000

Former World Hour Record holder, Jeannie Longo (Fra) will attempt to better the 43.501 kilometres ridden by Anna Wilson in Australia on October 18. 42 year old Longo has flown from Paris to Mexico City where she will make the attempt at altitude on Mexico's Vélodrome Olympique, where she set her "absolute world record" of 48.159 kilometres in 1996.
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Best Hour Performance Women
October 26, 1996 Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (France) at 48.159 km, and was set at altitude in Mexico.
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World Hour Record Men
1972 Eddy Merckx (Belgium) at 49.431 km set in Mexico City.

NEW HOUR RECORD 27 Oct 2000
Chris Boardman

British cyclist Chris Boardman today surpassed the "Conventional Hour Race" at the Manchester Velodrome with a mark of 49.442 kilometers, beating the old record of 49.431 kilometers imposed by Belgian legend Eddy Merckx in 1972. The International Cycling Union had announced on September 8, that the Official Hour Record would only be recognized, when established in a traditional bike and decided that the last time that this occurred was when Merckx established the record in Mexico in 1972. Boardman's objective was to beat this record, even though he had previously established the Hour Record on September 6, 1996 at Manchester at 56.375 kilometers in one hour. The UCI doesn't consider the records established after 1972 as valid and considers them special hour records.
At the World Track Championships in Manchester this week. Boardman rode 49.441872 kilometres, beating Belgian legend Eddy Merckx 1972 mark by just over 10 metres, after an incredible performance in the last three laps to come from behind.
Boardman, riding a regulation conventional steel (and manganese, chromoly & vanadium) bike, with spoked wheels, non-aero helmet and drop handlebars, was apparently not aware that Merckx's distance was the one he had to beat. He believed (until about two hours before the attempt) that whatever he rode was to be the new record. It was merely a matter of principal and honour to go for 49.5 kilometres. A call from Hein Verbruggen to Roger Legeay corrected him of the notion, and suddenly he had a little more pressure than he would have liked. He started well, averaging 49.7 kilometres in the first hour, but then started to suffer, falling off the pace until with 5 minutes to go he was 0.1 kilometres per hour behind schedule. Some thought he may have been putting it on for show, but it became apparent that this was not the case, as in the last three laps he was in agony trying to complete the ride - at that point, he did not care whether he was up or down.
Boardman "I was at my limit and couldn't go any faster," he said. "I didn't panic but staked everything on a sprint for the last three laps.
"They were the hardest three laps of my life. I didn't know if I'd beaten the total -- I didn't care. I just wanted it to finish.
"This was the last race of my career. It was a risky way to finish. It could have fizzled out. But everyone's going home happy."
It was a fine achievement in the end to break it, and at least established a benchmark for others to aim for. It was certainly the supreme effort of a cyclist against the clock but still brings into question the consistency of the UCI equipment rules. Are we now going to standardize bikes in all track racing disciplines?
Boardman, who had practiced on two occasions in Manchester, also officially announced his retirement from professional cycling.
BIO
Chris Boardman: Born: August 28, 1968 in Liverpool
Height: 1,75 Weight: 68 kilos
Professional since: 1993 Teams: Gan (1993 to 1998) & Credit Agricole (1998 to 2000)
Main Results:
Track: Gold at the 1992 Olympics in the Individual Pursuit World Champion in the Individual Pursuit in 1993 and 1996.
Special Hour Record Holder in 1996 with 56.375 kph Road Racing: ITT World Champion in 1994 GP Eddy Merckx in 1993 & 1996 GP des Nations in 1996 Criterium International in 1996. Three Prologues at the Tour de France (1994 in Lille, 1997 in Rouen & 1998 in Dublin). Yellow Jersey wearer for six days: three in 1994, one in 1997 and two in 1998.
Ruta:
Campeón del mundo de contrarreloj en 1994
Gran Premio Eddy Merckx en 1993 y 1996
Gran Premio de las naciones en 1996
Criterium Internacional en 1996.
Tres prólogos en el Tour de Francia (1994 en Lille, 1997 en Rouen y 1998 en Dublín).
Maillot amarillo durante seis jornadas, tres en 1994, una en 1997 y dos en 1998. EFE.
David Duffield a respected commentator for the Eurosport satellite TV channel boycotted the record attempt in protest at the UCI's new technical regulations. Duffield left his commentary point and stayed outside the stadium during Boardman's ride. Phil Liggett filled in for him. "I feel that the UCI is making retrograde steps in respect of the Hour Record and the new technical regulations," said Duffield. "I agree that there should be regulations prohibiting abnormal riding positions, but for our sport to develop we need to move with the times."
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Obree to challenge Boardman's mark

 November 9, 2000

The rivalry between Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree that sparked a flurry of world hour record breaking from 1993 to '96 is set to resume. Scotsman Obree plans to attack Boardman's new world mark of 49.441km set on October 27.
Obree's ground-breaking ideas – including the 'ski-racer' crouch followed by the 'Superman' stretched-arm position – were part of the impetus for the UCI to frame new technical regulations for world record attempts. The 35-year-old Obree, who broke the hour record in 1993 and 1994, hasn't raced for three years. But when he turned up at the recent world track championships, he reported he was training hard and "probably fitter than at any time in my life."
His hour bid is planned to take place in December at the same Manchester track where Boardman set the ultimate record of 56.375km in 1996 and his current world mark.
Like Boardman, Obree feels his efforts were overshadowed by his use of every possible technological advantage. "I want my full credibility as an athlete," he said.
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Best Hour Performance Men
1996 British cyclist, Chris Boardman at 56.375 km set in England.
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Roller Record September 16, 2000 Berne, Switzerland
44 year old Manfred Nüscheler has set a new speed record for riding on stationary rollers,
clocking 164.1 km/h.
The record was set using a 54x11 (10.49 m) gear on a standard bike
(Moser frame with Campagnolo gear) on Minoura rollers. The old record was 160.4 km/h.
During the attempt, Nüscheler rode at between 269 and 284 rpm, demonstrating that leg speed is not necessarily lost as one gets older.
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