Hour record

File:James-moore.jpg who set the first recorded hour record of 23.3 km in 1873]]

The first universally accepted record was in 1876 when the American Frank Dodds rode {{cvt|26.508|km|mi}} on a penny-farthing.{{cite book |last=Mallon |first=Jeroen Heijmans, Bill |title=Historical dictionary of cycling |publisher=Scarecrow Press, Inc. |location=Lanham, Maryland |isbn=978-0-8108-7369-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nrdfuueq2CcC |date=2011-09-09 |access-date=2016-11-06 |archive-date=2018-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208235943/https://books.google.com/books?id=nrdfuueq2CcC |url-status=live }} The first recorded distance{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZdXCmwpk-SAC&pg=PA381 |title= Historical Dictionary of Cycling |page= 381|isbn= 9780810871755 |last1= Heijmans |first1= Jeroen |last2= Mallon |first2= Bill |date= 2011-10-16 |publisher= Scarecrow Press }} was set in 1873 by James Moore in Wolverhampton, riding an Ariel 49" high wheel ({{cvt|49|in|m|disp=out}}) bicycle; however, the distance was recorded at exactly {{convert|14.5|miles}}, leading to the theory that the distance was just approximated and not accurately measured.{{cite web |title= Hour Record: The tangled history of an iconic feat|work=Cycling Weekly |url= http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/hour-record-the-tangled-history-of-an-iconic-feat-166791 |access-date= 2015-12-02 |date= 2015-04-15 |archive-date= 2015-12-08 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151208051114/http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/hour-record-the-tangled-history-of-an-iconic-feat-166791 |url-status= live }}

The first officially recognised record was set by Henri Desgrange at the Buffalo Velodrome, Paris in 1893 following the formation of the International Cycling Association, the forerunner of the modern-day UCI. Throughout the run up to the First World War, the record was broken on five occasions by Swiss rider Oscar Egg and Frenchman Marcel Berthet, and due to the attempts being highly popular and guaranteeing rich attendances, it is said that each ensured he did not beat the record by too much of a margin, enabling further lucrative attempts by the other.{{refn|group=nb|{{cite book |title= The Hour |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=bSTKyAvAQlgC |isbn = 9780224075206|last1 = Hutchinson|first1 = Michael|year = 2007| publisher=Penguin Random House }} (Michael Hutchinson. p. 119-120) It is reported that as professionals, Egg and Berthet ensured not to beat the record by too much of a distance, enabling them both to continue to repeatedly break the record and receive lucrative appearance fees}}

The hour was attempted sporadically over the following 70 years, with most early attempts taking place at the Buffalo Velodrome in Paris, before the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan became popular in 1930s and 1940s sparking attempts from leading Italian riders and former Giro d'Italia winners such as Fausto Coppi and Ercole Baldini. Coppi's record set in 1942, during the Second World War, despite Milan being bombed nightly by Allied forces, was eventually broken in 1956 by Jacques Anquetil on his third attempt. In 1967, 11 years later, Anquetil again broke the hour record, with {{cvt|47.493|km}}, but the record was disallowed because he refused to take the newly introduced post-race doping test.Cycling 26 November 1987 He had objected to what he saw as the indignity of having to urinate in a tent in front of a crowded velodrome and said he would take the test later at his hotel. The international judge ruled against the idea, and a scuffle ensued that involved Anquetil's manager, Raphaël Géminiani. In 1968, Ole Ritter broke the record in Mexico City, the first attempt at altitude since Willie Hamilton in 1898.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

The women's hour record was first established in 1893 by Mlle de Saint-Sauveur at the Vélodrome Buffalo in Paris, setting a total distance of {{cvt|26.012|km}}. The record was improved several times over the next years, until Louise Roger reached {{cvt|34.684|km}} in 1897 also at Vélodrome Buffalo.[https://www.podiumcafe.com/book-corner/2018/9/11/17845464/uci-hour-record-womens-cycling-origins Revolutionary Times – The Birth of the Women’s Hour Record] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921230230/https://www.podiumcafe.com/book-corner/2018/9/11/17845464/uci-hour-record-womens-cycling-origins |date=2018-09-21 }} – SB Nation's Podium Café, Feargal McKay, 11 September 2018 In 1911 the longest standing men's or women's record (37 years) was set by the 157 cm (5 ft 2 in) tall Alfonsina Strada: {{cvt|37.192|km}} riding a 20 kg (44 lbs) machine.{{Cite web |url=http://www.radiomarconi.com/marconi/alfonsina/alfonsina_inglese.html |title=Radio Marconi, Article on Alfonsina Strada |access-date=2018-09-21 |archive-date=2012-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216231831/http://www.radiomarconi.com/marconi/alfonsina/alfonsina_inglese.html |url-status=usurped }}{{Cite news|last=Clemitson|first=Suze|date=2014-05-13|title=Celebrating Alfonsina Strada, the woman who cycled the Giro d'Italia|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/100-tours-100-tales/2014/may/12/alfonsina-strada-giro-italia-woman-grand-tour|access-date=2021-10-02|archive-date=2017-07-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704160115/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/100-tours-100-tales/2014/may/12/alfonsina-strada-giro-italia-woman-grand-tour|url-status=live}} From 1947 to 1952, Élyane Bonneau and Jeannine Lemaire set several new hour records, the last of which was {{cvt|39.735|km}} by Lemaire in 1952.{{Cite news|date=1947-10-25|title=The BNA|work=Hull Daily Mail|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1900-01-01/1949-12-31?basicsearch=%2bhour%20%2brecord%20%2bbonneau&freesearch=hour%20record%20bonneau&exactsearch=true&retrievecountrycounts=false&sortorder=score|access-date=2021-10-01|archive-date=2021-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001085519/https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1900-01-01/1949-12-31?basicsearch=%2Bhour%20%2Brecord%20%2Bbonneau&freesearch=hour%20record%20bonneau&exactsearch=true&retrievecountrycounts=false&sortorder=score|url-status=live}}{{cite web|date=1947-10-27|title=Mlle Bonneau a battu le record du monde de l'heure|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1947/10/27/mlle-bonneau-a-battu-le-record-du-monde-de-l-heure_1890863_1819218.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-01|website=Le Monde|archive-date=2021-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001080016/https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1947/10/27/mlle-bonneau-a-battu-le-record-du-monde-de-l-heure_1890863_1819218.html}} The first women's hour record approved by the UCI was by Tamara Novikova in 1955. However Lemaire's 1952 non-UCI record was not bettered until Elsy Jacobs broke the 40 kmh barrier in 1958, the year Jacobs had won the inaugural women's road world championship. Jacobs' 1958 41.347 km UCI record would not be bettered until 1972.

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File:EddyMerckxHourRecordBike.jpg's 1972 hour record steel-framed bike]]

In 1972, Eddy Merckx set a new hour record at {{convert|49.431|km|mi|abbr=on}} in Mexico City at an altitude of {{convert|2300|m|ft|abbr=on}} where he proclaimed it to have been "the hardest ride I have ever done".{{cite news|last1=Clemitson|first1=Suze|title=Why Jens Voigt and a new group of cyclists want to break the Hour record|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/100-tours-100-tales/2014/sep/19/why-jens-voigt-and-a-new-group-of-cyclists-want-to-break-the-hour-record|access-date=19 September 2014|work=The Guardian|date=19 September 2014|archive-date=24 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924041712/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/100-tours-100-tales/2014/sep/19/why-jens-voigt-and-a-new-group-of-cyclists-want-to-break-the-hour-record|url-status=live}}

The record would stand for 12 years until in January 1984, Francesco Moser set a new record at {{convert|51.151|km|mi|abbr=on}}. This was the first noted use of disc wheels, which provided an aerodynamic gain as well as Moser wearing a skin suit. Moser's record would eventually be moved in 1997 to "best human effort".

In 1993 and 1994, Graeme Obree, who built his own bikes, posted two records with his hands tucked under his chest. In 1994, Moser set the veteran's record at {{convert|51.840|km|mi|abbr=on}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gallery-francesco-mosers-hour-record|title=Gallery: Francesco Moser's hour record|author=Stephen Farrand|work=Cyclingnews.com|date=23 January 2014|access-date=31 October 2014|archive-date=31 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031120419/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gallery-francesco-mosers-hour-record|url-status=live}} in Mexico City. Moser beat his 1984 record, using bullhorn handlebars, steel airfoil tubing, disk wheels and skinsuit. It was also faster than Obree's first record in 1993. Following the outlawing of the "praying mantis" style by the UCI in May 1994, Spaniard Miguel Induráin and Swiss Tony Rominger broke the record using a more traditional tri-bar setup with Rominger setting a distance of 55.291 km.

File:Lotus 108 (24281585325).jpg bicycle, a forerunner to the Lotus 110 Chris Boardman used to set a new hour record of {{convert|56.375|km|mi|abbr=on}} in 1996.]]

Chris Boardman took up the challenge using a modified version of the Lotus 110 bicycle, a successor to the earlier Lotus 108 bicycle he'd ridden to victory at the 1992 Olympic Games. South African company Aerodyne Technology built the frame. Boardman set the UCI Absolute record of {{convert|56.375|km|mi|abbr=on}} in 1996, using another position pioneered by Obree, his arms out in front in a "Superman" position. This too was considered controversial by the UCI, and while the record was allowed to stand, the position was banned making Boardman's record set in 1996, it was thought, effectively unbeatable using traditional bike position. The record stood as a best human effort until October 2022, when Filippo Ganna unified the records, beating Boardman's best human effort record (and Daniel Bigham's official UCI Hour record) on a traditionally shaped, though uniquely manufactured, bicycle.

With the increasing gap between modern bicycles and what was available at the time of Merckx's record, the UCI established two records in 1997:

• UCI Hour Record: which restricted competitors to roughly the same equipment as Merckx, banning time trial helmets, disc or tri-spoke wheels, aerodynamic bars and monocoque frames.
• Best Human Effort: also known as the UCI "Absolute" Record in which modern equipment was permitted.

As a result of the 1997 rule change, all records since 1972, including Boardman's {{convert|56.375|km|mi|abbr=on}} in 1996, were moved to Best Human Effort and the distance of Eddy Merckx set in 1972 once more became the official UCI benchmark. In 2000, Boardman attempted the UCI record on a traditional bike, and rode {{convert|49.441|km|mi|abbr=on}}, topping Merckx by {{convert|10|m|ft|sigfig=3}}, an improvement of 0.02%.

In 2005, Ondřej Sosenka improved Boardman's performance at {{convert|49.700|km|mi|abbr=on}} using a 54×13 gear. However, Sosenka failed a doping control in 2001 and then again in 2008, the latter resulting in a career-ending suspension which puts in doubt the validity of his record. All women's records from 1986 to 1996 were recategorized to Best Human Effort.

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File:Jens Voigt - Hour Record - bike.jpg in the first attempt under the unified regulations in 2014]]File:UCI Track World Championships 2020 123.jpg]]

In 2014, the UCI unified the two classifications into a single classification in line with regulations for current track pursuit bikes. Records previously removed for Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree were returned, however the benchmark record would remain at {{convert|49.7|km|mi|abbr=on}} set in 2005 by Ondrej Sosenka, even though that was not the farthest distance.{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/hour-record-rule-change-athletes-hour-scrapped-123397|title=Hour Record rule change — Athlete's hour to be scrapped|date=15 May 2014|work=Cycling Weekly|access-date=18 September 2014|archive-date=25 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140925011227/http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/hour-record-rule-change-athletes-hour-scrapped-123397|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/05/bikes-and-tech/uci-changes-hour-record-regulations-allows-modern-track-bikes_328018|title=UCI changes hour record regulations, allows modern track bikes|work=VeloNews.com|access-date=18 September 2014|date=2014-05-15|archive-date=2014-09-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140918082939/http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/05/bikes-and-tech/uci-changes-hour-record-regulations-allows-modern-track-bikes_328018|url-status=live}} Under the new regulations riders may use any bike allowed by the UCI standards for endurance track events in place at the time of the attempt.{{cite web|url=http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/gear-shed/cycle-life/Why-Cyclings-Hour-Record-Matters.html|title=How the Hour Record Will Save Cycling|work=Outside Online|access-date=18 September 2014|date=2014-06-05|archive-date=2014-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924071853/http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/gear-shed/cycle-life/Why-Cyclings-Hour-Record-Matters.html|url-status=live}}

Riders are required to be part of the athlete biological passport program.{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cookson-reveals-that-people-have-come-forward-to-the-circ-reform-commission|title=Cookson reveals that people have come forward to the CIRC Reform Commission|work=Cyclingnews.com|date=23 May 2014|access-date=18 September 2014|archive-date=10 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195847/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cookson-reveals-that-people-have-come-forward-to-the-circ-reform-commission|url-status=live}} However, of the men to attempt the record since the rule change, only five were on a UCI World Tour team at the time: Jens Voigt of Trek Factory Racing,{{cite news |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voigt-breaks-world-hour-record/ |title=Voigt breaks world hour record |work=Cycling News |date=2014-09-18 |access-date=2019-09-18 |quote=The Trek Factory Racing rider called an end to his road career at the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado in August, 2014, but soon announced his attempt at the record. |archive-date=2019-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824013315/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voigt-breaks-world-hour-record/ |url-status=live }} Rohan Dennis of the BMC Racing Team, Alex Dowsett of the {{UCI team code|MOV|2015}}, Victor Campenaerts of Lotto Soudal, Filippo Ganna of Ineos Grenadiers. Matthias Brändle was with IAM Cycling, then a UCI Professional Continental team. Jack Bobridge was on Team Budget Forklifts, an Australian UCI Continental team. Thomas Dekker had been released from World Tour team Garmin–Sharp several months before. Gustav Larsson was riding for the Professional Continental team Cult Energy Pro Cycling, whilst Bradley Wiggins had left the World Tour's {{UCI team code|SKY|2015}} shortly before his attempt, which was made in the colours of his own UCI Continental team {{UCI team code|WGN|2015}}.

As of October 2022, 26 attempts have been made for the men's record, eight successfully, while nine attempts have been made on the women's record, six of them successfully.

Following the change in the rules, German Jens Voigt became the first rider to attempt the hour, on 18 September 2014 at the Velodrome Suisse, Grenchen, Switzerland.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/13/the-agenda-jens-voigt-cycling|title=The Agenda: Jens Voigt aims to break one of cycling's toughest records|author=Giles Richards|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=18 September 2014|date=2014-09-13|archive-date=2014-09-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140917095115/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/13/the-agenda-jens-voigt-cycling|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/09/news/answered-11-questions-jens-voigts-hour-record-attempt_345973|title=Answered: 11 questions about Jens Voigt's hour record attempt|work=VeloNews.com|access-date=18 September 2014|date=2014-09-15|archive-date=2014-09-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140918193845/http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/09/news/answered-11-questions-jens-voigts-hour-record-attempt_345973|url-status=live}} He set a new record of {{convert|51.110|km|mi|abbr=on}}, beating the previous record set by Sosenka by {{convert|1.41|km|mi|abbr=on}}. On 30 October 2014, Matthias Brändle set a new record of {{convert|51.852|km|mi|abbr=on}} at the World Cycling Center in Aigle, Switzerland.

Further attempts by Australians Jack Bobridge and Rohan Dennis, and the Dutchman Thomas Dekker came within a few weeks, between 31 January and 25 February 2015. Dennis was the only one of the three to set a new record, and in doing so was the first rider to cover more than {{convert|52|km|mi|1}}. Dekker's attempt at the Aguascalientes Bicentenary Velodrome was the first attempt to take place at appreciable altitude. Aguascalientes is at {{convert|1890|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level, while Melbourne is at only {{convert|31|m|ft|abbr=on}}, and, although in Switzerland, Grenchen and Aigle are at {{convert|451|m|ft|abbr=on}} and {{convert|415|m|ft|abbr=on}} respectively, and not in the mountains. High altitude is thought to result in faster times, providing the rider takes the time to acclimatise to the conditions.{{cite web |url=http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/01/dekker-to-bid-for-world-hour-record-at-altitude-in-mexico-at-end-of-february/ |title=Dekker to bid for world hour record at altitude in Mexico at end of February |author=CyclingTips |work=cyclingtips.com.au |date=2015-01-07 |access-date=2015-02-26 |archive-date=2015-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227010511/http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/01/dekker-to-bid-for-world-hour-record-at-altitude-in-mexico-at-end-of-february/ |url-status=live}} This is because the air density decreases with an increase in altitude, which reduces the aerodynamic drag.{{cite web |url=http://www.wolfgang-menn.de/altitude.htm |title=The Hour Record At Altitude |work=wolfgang-menn.de |access-date=2015-02-26 |archive-date=2015-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227052337/http://www.wolfgang-menn.de/altitude.htm |url-status=live}}

Having postponed an earlier scheduled attempt due to a broken collarbone incurred in a crash while training, British cyclist Alex Dowsett exceeded Dennis's mark, with a new record of {{convert|52.937|km|mi|abbr=on}}, at Manchester Velodrome on 2 May 2015.{{cite news |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/alex-dowsett-hour-record-attempt-2015/results |title=Alex Dowsett sets new Hour Record of 52.937km |work=Cycling News |date=2 May 2015 |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-date=6 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506105637/http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/alex-dowsett-hour-record-attempt-2015/results |url-status=live }}

On 7 June 2015, Sir Bradley Wiggins broke Dowsett's record, by completing a distance of {{convert|54.526|km|mi|abbr=on}} at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cycling/33041998|title=Bradley Wiggins breaks UCI Hour Record at Lea Valley VeloPark|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 June 2015|access-date=7 June 2015|archive-date=8 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150608200145/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cycling/33041998|url-status=live}}

On 16 April 2019, Victor Campenaerts was the first to exceed 55 km/h by completing a distance of {{convert|55.089|km|mi|abbr=on}} at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes.{{cite web|url = https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/victor-campenaerts-sets-new-uci-hour-record-420347|title = Victor Campenaerts sets new UCI Hour Record|date = 2019-04-16|access-date = 2019-04-16|archive-date = 2019-04-16|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190416174534/https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/victor-campenaerts-sets-new-uci-hour-record-420347|url-status = live}}

The UCI rules require an athlete to participate in its anti-doping system, including having a biological passport. When Daniel Bigham rode {{convert|54.723|km|mi|abbr=on}} to break Wiggins's British national record on 1 October 2021{{cite web |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dan-bigham-breaks-bradley-wiggins-british-hour-record/ |title=Dan Bigham breaks Bradley Wiggins' British Hour Record |access-date=1 October 2021 |website=cyclingnews.com |date=October 2021 |archive-date=1 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001153504/https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dan-bigham-breaks-bradley-wiggins-british-hour-record/ |url-status=live }} he was ineligible to attempt the UCI record as he was not part of the anti-doping system, estimating it would cost him £8,000.{{cite web |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dowsett-its-desperately-unfair-that-bigham-cant-go-for-official-hour-record/ |title=Dowsett: It's desperately unfair that Bigham can't go for official Hour Record |access-date=1 October 2021 |website=cyclingnews.com |date=28 September 2021 |archive-date=30 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930232102/https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dowsett-its-desperately-unfair-that-bigham-cant-go-for-official-hour-record/ |url-status=live }}

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File:Evelyn Stevens Battenkill 2009.jpg (pictured in 2009)]]

The last women's hour record before the unified rule change was set on 1 October 2003 by Leontien van Moorsel, with a distance of {{convert|46.065|km|mi|abbr=on}}.

In December 2014, it was announced that British Paralympian Sarah Storey would be the first woman to attempt the record following the unified rule change. She attempted the record on 28 February 2015 at Lee Valley Velo Park in London, setting new British, Para-Cycling and Masters Age 35–39 records but missing out on the Elite record with a distance of {{convert|45.502|km|mi|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/12/news/britains-sarah-storey-tackle-womens-hour-record_356110|title=Britain's Sarah Storey to tackle women's hour record|work=VeloNews.com|date=2014-12-16|access-date=2014-12-16|archive-date=2014-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217022518/http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/12/news/britains-sarah-storey-tackle-womens-hour-record_356110|url-status=live}}

American Molly Shaffer Van Houweling broke the women's UCI Hour Record, riding a distance of {{convert|46.273|km|mi|abbr=on}} on 12 September 2015 in Aguascalientes, Mexico.{{cite web |title=Molly Shaffer Van Houweling makes history with new women's UCI Hour Record |url=http://www.uci.ch/pressreleases/molly-shaffer-van-houweling-makes-history-with-new-women-uci-hour-record/ |website=www.uci.ch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914204916/http://www.uci.ch/pressreleases/molly-shaffer-van-houweling-makes-history-with-new-women-uci-hour-record/ |archive-date = 2015-09-14 |url-status=dead}} Van Houweling had set three new US Hour Records in the year prior. The first was set on 15 December 2014, in Carson, California, with a distance of {{convert|44.173|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The second was set on 25 February 2015, in Aguascalientes with a distance of {{convert|45.637|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The third was set on 3 July 2015, also in Aguascalientes, with a distance of {{convert|46.088|km|mi|abbr=on}}. This last mark was also the Pan-American and World Masters Age 40–44 record at the time, and exceeded the distance of the UCI hour record of van Moorsel. However, it did not qualify as the UCI Hour Record because Van Houweling had only been enrolled in the athlete biological passport program for three and a half months prior to setting this record. The UCI requires that riders be enrolled in this program for 5–10 months before they are eligible to set this mark.{{cite web|url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/02/news/van-houweling-sets-pan-american-hour-record-mexico_361696 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190917072758/https://www.velonews.com/2015/02/news/van-houweling-sets-pan-american-hour-record-mexico_361696 |archive-date=17 September 2019 |url-status=dead |title=Van Houweling sets Pan American Record |work=velonews |date=2015-02-27}}{{cite web|url=http://norcalcyclingnews.com/2015/07/05/van-houweling-sets-hour-record-of-46088/|title=Van Houweling sets Hour Record of 46,088m|work=norcalcyclingnews|access-date=2015-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910203332/http://norcalcyclingnews.com/2015/07/05/van-houweling-sets-hour-record-of-46088/|archive-date=2015-09-10|url-status=usurped}} From 24 August 2015, Van Houweling was eligible to attempt the UCI Hour Record.{{cite web|title = News shorts: Gesink abandons Tour de Pologne with fatigue|url = http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/news-shorts-gesink-abandons-tour-de-pologne-with-fatigue/|website = Cyclingnews.com|date = 4 August 2015|access-date = 2015-12-02|archive-date = 2015-12-08|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151208072553/http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/news-shorts-gesink-abandons-tour-de-pologne-with-fatigue/|url-status = live}}

In October 2015, Australian rider Bridie O'Donnell announced her intention to aim for the hour record in January 2016. She broke the women's hour at the Adelaide Super-Drome on 22 January 2016, riding {{convert|46.882|km|abbr=on}}. She was aged 41 years. Her record was broken by American rider Evelyn Stevens in the next month - the new record was {{convert|47.980|km|abbr=on}}, more than a kilometre nearer to the {{convert|50|km|adj=on|abbr=on}} barrier.

Italian rider Vittoria Bussi, after two unsuccessful attempts on 7 October 2017 and on 12 September 2018, broke Stevens' world record by 27 metres riding {{convert|48.007|km|mi|abbr=on}} on 13 September 2018.

British cyclist Joss Lowden set a new world record on 30 September 2021 with a distance of {{convert|48.405|km|mi|abbr=on}}, beating the previous record by just under 400 metres,{{cite web|date=2021-09-30|title=Joss Lowden rides 48.405km in new world hour record|url=https://www.velonews.com/news/joss-lowden-rides-48-405km-in-new-world-hour-record/|access-date=2021-09-30|website=VeloNews.com|archive-date=2021-09-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930163648/https://www.velonews.com/news/joss-lowden-rides-48-405km-in-new-world-hour-record/|url-status=live}} and also surpassing Jeannie Longo's Best Human Effort distance. Lowden completed a total of 193 laps of the Tissot Velodrome in Grenchen, Switzerland.{{cite web|last1=Pitt|first1=Vern|last2=Smythe|first2=Simon|date=2021-09-30|title=Joss Lowden's Hour Record: the aero kit that could help make history|url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/products/joss-lowdens-hour-record-the-aero-kit-that-could-make-history|access-date=2021-09-30|website=cyclingweekly.com|archive-date=2021-09-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930163150/https://www.cyclingweekly.com/products/joss-lowdens-hour-record-the-aero-kit-that-could-make-history|url-status=live}}

On October 13, 2023, Vittoria Bussi set the world record again, at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Mexico, with a 50.267km distance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/vittoria-bussi-makes-history-with-new-uci-hour-record|title=Vittoria Bussi makes history with new UCI Hour Record|author1=Tom Davidson|date=14 October 2023|website=cyclingweekly.com}}

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File:Mens hour records progression.svg|The above chart depicts the progression of the men's hour record over time (click to enlarge). Blue markers indicate attempts made under the UCI hour record, orange markers indicate attempts made under the UCI best human effort rules, and green markers indicate attempts made under the unified rules.

File:Womens hour records progression.svg|The above chart depicts the progression of the women's hour record over time (click to enlarge). Blue markers indicate attempts made under the UCI hour record, orange markers indicate attempts made under the UCI best human effort rules, and green markers indicate attempts made under the unified rules.

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The new regulations for the making of accepted hour record attempts were extended to para-cycling in 2016.[https://www.paralympic.org/news/colin-lynch-makes-history-first-para-cycling-uci-hour-record Colin Lynch makes para-cycling history] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005115453/https://www.paralympic.org/news/colin-lynch-makes-history-first-para-cycling-uci-hour-record |date=2016-10-05 }}, from Paralympic.org Although the first attempt on the hour record for women after the amendments to the regulations was made by Paralympian Sarah Storey, it was not a ratified attempt on the women's C5 hour record under the new conditions, which at that point still did not extend to paracycling – albeit that Storey's effort is recognized as a best C5 performance under the new rules, in addition to a British and masters world hour record in able-bodied cycling.

The first attempt on a para-cycling hour record after the new regulations were extended to para-cycling was by Irishman Colin Lynch in the C2 category, bettering the accepted best performance previously set by Laurent Thirionet in 1999 by 2 kilometres, and setting the first 'ratified' para-cycling world hour record. The mark of 43.133 km was achieved on 1 October at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, Great Britain.

;Unified regulations (since 2016)

;Unified regulations (since 2016)

;Men's UCI para-cycling hour record – Best Hour Performance & Absolute Hour Record (1991–2016)

;Women's UCI para-cycling hour record – Best Hour Performance & Absolute Hour Record (1991–2016)

;Best Performances

;Best Performances 

Although the UCI does not recognise hour record attempts at the Junior age-group, there have been multiple record attempts made.

There are alternative bicycle hour records that do not fit the UCI-sanctioned categories due to a strict definition of a "bicycle" in UCI.{{cite web |title=The History of the Recumbent Bicycle: Winning Forbidden |url=http://www.helsinki.fi/~tlinden/winforb.html |access-date=28 August 2008}}{{citation needed|reason=table is based on social media, individual reliable sources for each item should be added|date=March 2022}}

At the conclusion of the hour, the rider is inevitably part-way round a lap. They complete that lap (meaning they actually cycle for more than an hour). The distance completed in the hour is determined by adding the fraction of that final lap, calculated from the ratio of the time remaining at the start of that lap to the time taken for that lap, to the preceding completed laps.

Times are required to be measured to a thousandth of a second. Distances are rounded down to a complete metre and records can be beaten only by at least one metre.UCI Cycling Regulations. Part 3 Track Races. Version on 01.01.25. https://assets.ctfassets.net/761l7gh5x5an/6jGCKQEr7a5NTvzdo1mzzI/5837e48d94818fd35e0f31de19b146ce/3-PIS-01.01.2025_-_E_-_Regulations_update_2024__full__21022025.pdf

{{reflist|group=nb}}

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [http://www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI1/layout.asp?MenuId=MTUxMjc&LangId=1 UCI hour records]
• [http://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook/sports_recordsHour.html Bike Cult listing of Hour records including data on machines and athlete]
• [http://www.wolfgang-menn.de/hourrec.htm Hour records with pictures of Vehicles]
• [http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/hour-record-timeline-recent-history A recent timeline of the Hour Record from Cycling Weekly]
• [http://cyclingtips.com.au/2015/02/history-of-the-womens-hour-record-sarah-storey-battling-to-join-the-greats-of-the-sport/ A history of the womens Hour Record from Cyclingtips]

{{Track cycling}}

Category:Cycling records and statistics

Category:Events in track cycling

Category:Sports world records