Time triallist looks to 10-mile record after riding staggering sub 20-minute on a road bike
George Fox surprised even himself when he got close to the 1988 record set by Colin Sturgess


A Northamptonshire time triallist has turned his attention to a 10-mile record after he unexpectedly smashed the 20-minute barrier on a road bike.
George Fox was expecting a solid time on his Giant Propel on Tuesday (May 28), but was shocked when he hit 31mph average for the 10-mile course.
The Rushden-based rider finished the Earls Barton route on the A41 in a staggering 19-19, which puts him within range of the all-time 10-mile record for road bikes set in 1988.
Fox, 25, told Cycling Weekly: “I’ve been going really well on the road bike and knew it was a fairly decent course.
“I’d targeted a 19-40 to 19-50, which I knew was do-able. I didn’t realise how well I was going to go.
“I got seven miles in, looked down and saw 31mph average and thought ‘that’s going to be a bit quicker than I thought.’
“It’s a good course but it’s not the quickest, so I thought a 19-40 on there would mean theoretically the record is doable on a faster course. To go that much quicker, I’m still speechless now to be honest. I still can’t quite believe it.”
>>> Can road bike time trialling revive the TT scene?
Fox is a coach and aerodynamic specialist bike fitter at Matt Bottrill Performance Coaching, which has helped him achieve such a mind-blowing time.
After surprising himself with the performance, his attentions have turned to the road bike record set by former British national road race champion Colin Sturgess back in 1988, before time trial bikes were popularised.
The time to beat is 18-48 and Fox believes the goal is within reach: “It is definitely something that’s on my mind. It’s difficult because we’re coming into nationals season now.”
With an open event coming next Thursday (June 6) on the fast E2/10 course near Cambridge, Fox could have his chance.
“If the weather’s decent, I don’t know,” he said. “I’m intrigued to see what I could do.
“I think my time could be quicker as long as it’s a good day. I know what it’s going to take in terms of legs.
“There’s going to be some serious staring at the road bike thinking about what I can change.”
It hasn’t been a smooth road in recent months however, as Fox suffered from an unidentified virus that left him unable to train.
“Last year I had a virus and I was out of action from May through to October. I could ride but it would take me three or four days to recover from it so I just wasn’t training basically because you can’t go very fast on one day a week.
“I started training again in October. The winter was good but with work it was a bit inconsistent.
“I’m back to my best now, probably the best I’ve ever been.”
>>> Nine things you learn riding your first time trial
His form took him to an average speed of 31.2mph for the 19-19 time, with a normalised power of 378watts.
When asked about the secret to that success, Fox said: “It’s discipline, because holding that position you don’t have as much support as you do on a time trial bike. It’s really hard to hold.
“There’s an old thinking that time trial bikes are generally two minutes faster than a road bike, but the faster you get the smaller that distance. I’d have been maybe 30 seconds faster if I’d have been on my time trial bike.
“If you’ve got a road bike that fits properly and you can drop the elbows, stay on the hoods because nine times out of 10 that’s faster on a road bike, essentially adopt the time trial position then you’re not going to be losing an awful lot.”
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Alex is the digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter and now as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output.
Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) and joining CW in 2018, Alex has covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.
Away from journalism, Alex is a national level time triallist, avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
-
The general classification just got even tighter: Five talking points from stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia 2022
There was climbing, climbing, and more climbing on Tuesday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Wider S-Works Torch replaces popular Specialized shoes - and our tech writers had very different first impressions
Wider, lighter, more comfortable and better looking - here's the story behind the development of the S-Works Torch plus our first ride impressions
By Simon Smythe • Published
-
Marianne Vos dominates to win Simac Ladies Tour prologue
The Dutch superstar puts four seconds into her rivals at the start of the six-day race
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Primož Roglič claims redemption with gold medal in Tokyo 2020 Olympic time trial
After crashing out of the Tour de France, Roglič put in a phenomenal ride at the Fuji International Speedway
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
How do the Tokyo 2020 Olympic time trials work?
The race against the clock is a highlight of the games, but what are the rules?
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
Time trial superstar Chloé Dygert set to take on Europe as she joins Women's WorldTour team
Time trialling and track powerhouse Chloé Dygert is set to take the European road scene by storm after signing for Canyon-SRAM Racing.
By Owen Rogers • Published
-
Imola 2020 World Championships: What is Alex Dowsett’s unbranded time trial bike?
Alex Dowsett is ready to fight for a medal in the World Championship time trial in Imola.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
Five things to look out for at the Imola World Championships 2020 time trials
Chloe Dygert’s title defence, Dennis vs Ganna, and the British hopes - watch out for these moments
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
Tour de France 2020 time trial: Roglič vs Pogačar, TT bike or road bike, and how many watts will decide the winner?
After three weeks of brutal racing, the 2020 Tour de France comes down to one final test - an uphill time trial on La Planche des Belles Filles.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
‘You’d risk becoming deathly ill’: Victor Campenaerts takes altitude training to a new extreme
Victor Campenaerts has already been pushing himself to the limit in preparation for the return of racing, but his latest regime takes things to the extreme.
By Alex Ballinger • Published