The hour record is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle from a stationary start. Cyclists attempt this record alone on the track without other competitors present. It is considered one of the most prestigious records in cycling. Since it was first set, cyclists ranging from relatively unknown amateurs to well-known professionals have held the record. There is now one unified record for upright bicycles meeting the requirements of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Hour-record attempts for UCI bikes are made in a velodrome.
Early hour records (until 1972)
The first universally accepted record was in 1876 when the American Frank Dodds rode on a penny-farthing. The first recorded distance was set in 1873 by James Moore in Wolverhampton, riding a 49" high wheel () bicycle (possibly this one); however, the distance was recorded at exactly , leading to the theory that the distance was just approximated and not accurately measured.
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.
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 , 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.
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 . The record was improved several times over the next years, until Louise Roger reached in 1897 also at Vélodrome Buffalo.Revolutionary Times – The Birth of the Women’s Hour Record – 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: riding a 20 kg (44 lbs) machine. From 1947 to 1952, Élyane Bonneau and Jeannine Lemaire set several new hour records, the last of which was by Lemaire in 1952. 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's 1958 41.347 km UCI record would not be bettered until 1972.
Historical hour records
+ Men's historical hour records (1873–1972) (UCI official records from 1893)DateRiderLocation Distance (km) Increase (m)1873 James Moore Molyneaux Grounds, Wolverhampton, England 23.331-25 March 1876 Frank Dodds Cambridge University Ground 26.5083,1772 August 1882 Herbert Liddell Cortis England 32.4545,9461887 London, England 34.2171,76311 May 1893 Henri Desgrange Buffalo, Paris 35.3251,10831 October 1894 Buffalo, Paris 38.2202,89530 July 1897 Vincennes, Paris 39.2401,0203 July 1898 Willie Hamilton Colorado Springs, USA 40.7811,54124 August 1905 Lucien Petit-Breton Buffalo, Paris 41.11032920 June 1907 Marcel Berthet Paris 41.52041022 August 1912 Oscar Egg Paris 42.122 (Revised to 42.360)60222 July 1913 Richard Weise Berlin, Germany42.2767 August 1913 Marcel Berthet Paris 42.74161921 August 1913 Oscar Egg Paris 43.52578420 September 1913 Marcel Berthet Paris 43.77525018 June 1914 Oscar Egg Paris 44.247 4717 July 1933 Francis Faure Paris 45.05580825 August 1933 Jan van Hout Roermond 44.58838828 September 1933 Maurice Richard Sint-Truiden, Belgium 44.77718931 October 1935 Giuseppe Olmo Velodromo Vigorelli, Milan 45.09031314 October 1936 Maurice Richard Vigorelli, Milan 45.32523529 September 1937 Frans Slaats Vigorelli, Milan 45.4851603 November 1937 Maurice Archambaud Vigorelli, Milan 45.7672827 November 1942 Fausto Coppi Vigorelli, Milan 45.7983129 June 1956 Jacques Anquetil Vigorelli, Milan 46.15936919 September 1956 Ercole Baldini Vigorelli, Milan 46.39423518 September 1957 Roger Rivière Vigorelli, Milan 46.92352923 September 1959 Roger Rivière Vigorelli, Milan 47.34742427 September 1967 Jacques Anquetil Vigorelli, Milan 47.49330 October 1967 Ferdi Bracke Olympic Velodrome, Rome 48.09374610 October 1968 Ole Ritter Mexico City 48.65356025 October 1972 Eddy Merckx Mexico City 49.431778
+Women's historical hour records (1893–1972) (UCI official records from 1955) Date Rider Location Distance (km) Increase (m)July 1893 Mlle de Saint-Saveur Vélodrome Buffalo, Paris, France26.012 -August 1893 Vélodrome Buffalo, Paris, France28.0192007October 1893Hélène Dutrieu Vélodrome Lillois, Lille, France28.78761October 1897 Vélodrome Buffalo, Paris, France34.6845,9041911 Alfonsina Strada Moncalieri, Turin, Italy37.1922,508October 1947 France37.56368November 1948Jeannine LemaireMeilleure Performance Sur Piste FSGT, https://www.cnav-club.fr/uploads/69/Record%20de%20l'heure%20%20FSGT%20Mars%202020.pdf France 37.72160July 1949Jeannine Lemaire France 38.2835631952Jeannine Lemaire France 39.7351,4527 July 1955 Tamara Novikova Irkoutsk, Russia 38.473 -1,262 (due to previous non-UCI records)18 September 1957 Renee Vissac Velodromo Vigorelli, Milan, Italy 38.56996 (still less than non-UCI record)25 September 1958 Millie Robinson Vigorelli Velodrome, Milan, Italy39.7191,150 (still less than non-UCI record)9 November 1958 Elsy Jacobs Vigorelli Velodrome, Milan, Italy 41.3471,628 (1,612 increase on the non-UCI 1952 record)
UCI hour record (1972–2014)
1972–1984: Merckx, Moser and new technology
In 1972, Eddy Merckx set a new hour record at in Mexico City at an altitude of where he proclaimed it to have been "the hardest ride I have ever done".
The record stood until January 1984, when Francesco Moser set a new record at . This was the first noted use of disc wheels, which, along with Moser's skin suit, provided aerodynamic gains. Moser's record would eventually be moved in 1997 to "best human effort".
1990s: non-traditional riding positions
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 in Mexico City, riding with bullhorn handlebars, steel airfoil tubing, disk wheels and skinsuit. Moser's distance beat his 1984 record and Obree's 1993 ride.
In May 1994, the UCI outlawed the "praying mantis" style. Spaniard Miguel Induráin and Swiss Tony Rominger subsequently broke the record with a more traditional tri-bar setup; Rominger rode 55.291 km.
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 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. This enabled Boardman's 1996 record to stand for about 26 years. In October 2022, 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.
1997 UCI rule change 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 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 , topping Merckx by , an improvement of 0.02%.
In 2005, Ondřej Sosenka improved Boardman's performance at 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.
Hour record holders (men's)
+UCI hour record (1972–2014)DateRiderAgeVelodromeDistance (km)Equipment 25 October 1972 Eddy Merckx 27 Agustín Melgar (333 meters outdoor concrete high-altitude), Mexico City, Mexico 49.431 Drop handlebar, round steel tubing frame, wire spokes. 5.5 kg Colnago (drilled chain & handlebars) 27 October 2000 Chris Boardman 32 Manchester Velodrome (250 meters indoor wood sea-level), Manchester, UK 49.441 Drop handlebar, carbon fibre tubing frame, wire spokes. 19 July 2005 Ondřej Sosenka 29 Krylatskoye (333 meters indoor wood sea-level), Moscow, Russia 49.700 Drop handlebar, carbon fibre tubing frame, wire spokes.