Sarah Storey confirms women’s Hour Record attempt in February

Dame Sarah Storey will attempt to set a new women's Hour Record during the Revolution track meeting on February 28 in London
Nigel Wynn

Dame Sarah Storey has officially confirmed her intention to attempt to set a new women’s Hour Record in February 2015.

Multi-Paralympic champion Storey will make her attempt during the afternoon at the Revolution Series meeting on February 28 at Lee Valley Velopark, London. It’s the venue where Storey won Britain’s first gold medal of the 2012 Paralympic Games, and the first of her four golds at the Games in total.

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Storey will attempt to better the existing mark of 46.065 kilometres set in 2003 by Dutch rider Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel.

“I’m excited and nervous at the prospect of being the first women to take on the record in over a decade,” said Storey.

“I did a couple of days testing up at the Manchester Velodrome to try and work out the output that would be involved over an hour to have a realistic chance of challenging the record and we decided that if I can arrive in good shape I stood a fighting chance.”

“Logistically it fits in just about perfectly with the plans I already had put in place for next year which centre around the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships at the end of March – when I will be entering the Individual Pursuit, 500m Time Trial and Scratch Race.”

Sarah Storey, London 2012 Paralympic Games track day oneStorey during the 2012 Paralympic Games in London

The Hour Record has enjoyed something on a renaissance since the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) changed the rules. The men’s record was broken by Jens Voigt in September and then broken again by Matthias Brändle in October. Alex Dowsett (Movistar) is expected to also attempt to take on the men’s Hour Record in early 2015, possibly at the same event as Storey.

UCI president Brian Cookson said: “After two UCI Hour Records in quick succession for the men, I am very pleased that the existing women’s record will now be challenged. In amending the regulations, the UCI hoped for exactly this kind of motivation from the world’s best athletes. Dame Sarah Storey’s attempt will be eagerly awaited and I am sure it will prompt other top women riders to try to claim this prestigious record.”

Further information and tickets for the Revolution Series event in London, including the Hour Record attempt, are available from the Revolution website.