Jens Voigt sets new Hour Record

Jens Voigt closes career with new World Hour Record of 51.115km

(Image credit: Ulf Schiller)

It was agonising, and not particularly pretty, but Jens Voigt succeeded in his attempt to break the world Hour record at the Velodrome Suisse in Grenchen. In his last act as a professional athlete, he rode 51.115 kilometres, breaking Ondrej Sosenka’s previous best by over a kilometre.

Voigt was right on schedule throughout the attempt, even managing to lift himself in the last 10 minutes to bring his average speed up above 51 kilometres per hour, right at the top limit of the target he’d set himself. Despite repeatedly having to raise himself from the saddle to stretch his back and legs and relieve the pain, his momentum never looked like slowing significantly.

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Edward Pickering is a writer and journalist, editor of Pro Cycling and previous deputy editor of Cycle Sport. As well as contributing to Cycling Weekly, he has also written for the likes of the New York Times. His book, The Race Against Time, saw him shortlisted for Best New Writer at the British Sports Book Awards. A self-confessed 'fair weather cyclist', Pickering also enjoys running.