Alex Dowsett will be the next rider to walk up on to the boards, clip himself in to his bike and set off for an hour in purgatory. The Movistar rider will make his Hour Record attempt at Manchester velodrome on Saturday May 2.
It's a track he knows well, as he explains in our exclusie video, and he has ridden thousands of laps of this track during his time with British Cycling's Olympic Academy. On May 2 however he will be alone on the track, with a target of 52.491kmh.
Rohan Dennis sets new Hour Record of 52.491km
In this video Dowsett explains why he is attempting the hour and what he is expecting from the gruelling event. Although he doesn't disclose a distance, or target, he is obviously planning to beat Rohan Dennis's record, and says he woujld like to set a distance that will stretch Sir Bradley Wiggins when he makes his attempt in London on June 6.
Dowsett had been planning an attempt earlier in the year but a crash in training resulted in a broken collarbone and a rescheduling. He has since started his road season, riding Milan-San Remo and more recently Ghent-Wevelgem, although he admitted to not being a fan of the northern classics.
Dowsett will be the fifth rider to attempt the hour this year after Jack Bobridge, Rohan Dennis, Thomas Dekker, and, most recently, Gustav Larsson. Of those, only Dennis was successful.
-
-
How Clay Davies became an accidental figurehead
When Clay Davies become the first openly gay rider in the UK's elite ranks, he suddenly found himself in unfamiliar territory
By Alex Ballinger •
-
Bahrain Victorious respond after researchers reveal riders at ‘three-week race in France’ had muscle relaxant in their systems
While the research paper doesn’t name the team, riders or race, Bahrain were raided by police at the Tour de France
By Alex Ballinger •
-
Filippo Ganna considering Hour Record attempt after astonishing results from 30-minute test
Ganna highlighted his desire to beat the most prestigious track record
By Ryan Dabbs •
-
Joss Lowden announces Hour Record attempt
The Brit unofficially smashed the previous record in training earlier this year
By Alex Ballinger •
-
Victor Campenaerts says Alex Dowsett has a '50 per cent chance of beating the Hour Record'
Victor Campenaerts says Alex Dowsett has a 50 per cent chance of beating his Hour Record in Manchester on December 12 2020
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Alex Dowsett responds after Griff Rhys Jones ‘depicts cyclists as yobs’ in newspaper column
Alex Dowsett has shared his thoughts after Griff Rhys Jones complained about “lycra-clad hooligans” in a newspaper column.
By Alex Ballinger •
-
John Lee, 90, claims fourth Hour Record
Veteran record breaker adds another one to his peerless palmarès
By Simon Smythe •
-
Victor Campenaerts reveals gearing options for Hour Record attempt
Victor Campenaerts has revealed the gearing options for his Hour Record attempt next week.
By Alex Ballinger •
-
'UCI penalising the way we race with fines,’ says Alex Dowsett
The UCI is penalising the way pro riders race, according to Alex Dowsett.
By Alex Ballinger •
-
Sir Bradley Wiggins believes his hour record will be beaten next year
Sir Bradley Wiggins believes that Belgian Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Soudal) will beat his hour record in 2019.
By Gregor Brown •
