Joss Lowden smashes Hour Record

Joss Lowden has smashed the Hour Record, beating the previous women's record by more than 300 metres.

British rider Lowden, who races for Drops-Le Col on the road, set the new record for distance covered in 60 minutes during her attempt at the Velodrome Suisse in Grenchen, Switzerland on Friday (September 30). 

The 33-year-old claimed the record previously held by Italy's Vittoria Bussi, who set the previous distance of 48.007km in 2018, during her ride at high altitude in Aguascalientes, Mexico.  

Lowden's new record now sits at 48.405km after an absolutely phenomenal ride, which saw her pull in front of the record pace early in the ride, only to ramp up the power in the second half.

She then went on to break through the record with just under a minute to ride, going almost two laps further than Bussi managed.  

Having broken the record unofficially during a training ride earlier this year, Lowden had cause for confidence but admitted she was still wracked with nerves in the months leading up to the challenge. 

The Hour Record came off the back of an intense period of racing during the World Championships, where she finished eighth in the individual time trial, before she also competed in the mixed relay TT and the road race.  

Lowden now joins the list of riders who have taken on the Hour Record, which includes Dame Sarah Storey, who took the British record in 2015. 

There have been just eight attempts at the women's Hour Record since 2014, and Lowden hopes her attempt will inspire more women to take on the historic challenge.  

Lowden's Hour Record will be followed by an attempt from her partner Dan Bigham, who will be taking on the British Hour Record on the same velodrome on Friday. 

Ribble-Weldtite Bigham rider hopes to break the record currently held by Sir Bradley Wiggins, before he targets the outright record in 2022.