Wiggins - Hour Record

[UncleChainwhip]

Come on Wiggo give it a shot! He may have the lowest frontal area ever (anorexic to the bone) but the bike then becomes a large percentage of the total area with a traditional bike. Thus no easy task! While low body fat is great for optimal cellular oxygen uptake (pursuit), lactate tolerance and mitochondrial respiration are obtained by actually riding the bike versus dieting. Sorry hillclimbers, the traditional Hour Record is back in the domain of 'fat boys' (relatively speaking). Towards the end of my competitive days I began to lament the fact that lightweights i could ride off my wheel after 100km or so were beginning to rival me in TT's. Aero equipment favors the short stature/thinner rider the most (bike is a greater % of frontal area).

My hardest training 800+ weeks with intervals? No, pushing the dinner plate away.

Uncle Chainwhip

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Aero equipment favors the short stature/thinner rider the most (bike is a greater % of frontal area).

Of the ~45-50 riders in this list of those on the podium at the World TT champs since 1994, apart from Boardman, who was short of stature?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCI_Road_World_Championships_–_Men's_time_trial

 

[Anonymous]

I think Thomas would go further than Wiggins over the hour, but dont think either could challenge boardmans record.

Tony Martin for me could, hes so smooth, would be interesting to see him try.

As for prestige, if Cancellara or Martin broke the hour, the prestige would come back again. The other would be certain to want to beat it.

 

[avanti]

............ the prestige would come back again. The other would be certain to want to beat it.

Or if a competition was held with a significant monetary prize (say $1,000,000)

 

[gustienordic]

I think Thomas would go further than Wiggins over the hour, but dont think either could challenge boardmans record.

Tony Martin for me could, hes so smooth, would be interesting to see him try.

As for prestige, if Cancellara or Martin broke the hour, the prestige would come back again. The other would be certain to want to beat it.

I am at a loss who would win out of these three... Wiggins has the most track experience, which might come in handy, Cancellara I think has more endurance and power than Martin, but Martin has been proving himself to be very strong lately. I think I would ultimately go with Cancellara however on account of his power and bike handling skills.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

I am at a loss who would win out of these three... Wiggins has the most track experience, which might come in handy, Cancellara I think has more endurance and power than Martin, but Martin has been proving himself to be very strong lately. I think I would ultimately go with Cancellara however on account of his power and bike handling skills.

There's not all that much skill required for the track. Didn't phase Rominger.

Even less given it's a standard mass start bike set up.

 

[williamp78]

I remember reading somewhere that cancellara never really liked the track. That he had attempted the 4km pursuit but that his numbers weren't great. Just because you're a great at the time trial doesn't necessarily translate onto the track.

 

[gustienordic]

After his victory in the TDF & TTing especially in the last TT, I think Wiggins could smash the record if he tried. I would like to see a return to cyclists vying to set the hour record...

 

[twothirds]

I really think he should give it a go as well. Especially with Froome in the picture and being a possible Tour leader next year for Sky, an hour record would be a worthy pursuit in my opinion.

 

[avanti]

If the UK does very well in the Olympics I wonder if Sky would field a track team - this would add publicity to Sky during the winter (6-days, world cups, revolutions, and world championship).

 

[avanti]

Here is a cpmprehensive list of hour record holders that dates way back:
http://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook/sports_recordsHour.html

 

[gustienordic]

Here is a cpmprehensive list of hour record holders that dates way back:
http://www.bikecult.com/bikecultbook/sports_recordsHour.html

If only I could bring my bike back with me to the 1880s... I think I could set that record (and with a decent velodrome)

And I don't have a nice bike even.

 

[will10]

If the UK does very well in the Olympics I wonder if Sky would field a track team - this would add publicity to Sky during the winter (6-days, world cups, revolutions, and world championship).

They already do I thought?

 

[Froome19]

If the UK does very well in the Olympics I wonder if Sky would field a track team - this would add publicity to Sky during the winter (6-days, world cups, revolutions, and world championship).

They sponsor the track GB team and have fielded teams in the past in World Cups.

If you mean the Sky riders specifically then I doubt that will ever happen.

 

[will10]

They sponsor the track GB team and have fielded teams in the past in World Cups.

If you mean the Sky riders specifically then I doubt that will ever happen.

Cav, Stannard, Dowsett, Rowe, Downing, Swift, Kennaugh... all have ridden for Sky in the Revolutions

 

[oldcrank]

A few years back a certain 7 time Grand Tour winner
invited everyone (via twitter) to come down to the
Los Angeles velodrome and watch him do some tests.
He showed up with a film crew and his security went
around and confiscated cameras from all that showed
up. He then proceeded to ride several laps on the
blue and after a few bike changes/adjustments he
eventually made it onto (barely) the actual track.
I would have loved to see a jnr./cat.5 trackie ride
past him up at the fence and give him 'the look.'
The Grand Tour winner or his entourage never spoke
of the track again.

 

[Zweistein]

a few years back a certain 0 time grand tour winner
invited everyone (via twitter) to come down to the
los angeles velodrome and watch him do some tests.
He showed up with a film crew and his security went
around and confiscated cameras from all that showed
up. He then proceeded to ride several laps on the
blue and after a few bike changes/adjustments he
eventually made it onto (barely) the actual track.
I would have loved to see a jnr./cat.5 trackie ride
past him up at the fence and give him 'the look.'
the grand tour winner or his entourage never spoke
of the track again.

fixed your post

How'd did I never hear about that story? He made a big deal about wanting making a run at the hour record.

 

[oldcrank]

fixed your post

How'd did I never hear about that story? He made a big deal about wanting making a run at the hour record.

Thanks for fixing the post. Can't believe I didn't put
7 time "winner"...I guess I was in a hurry.
Anyway, it was early February 2009 and there was
a thread at FixedGearFever mocking him and a brief
article in Velonews online (predictably) swooning
over him.
EDIT:Curiously, Armstrong's velodrome ride was just
days before Taylor Phinney's absolutely stunning
4.15.223 pursuit at the Copenhagen World Cup where
he finished about 10 seconds faster than his closest
rival. Phinney had signed with the Trek-Livestrong U23
squad about five months previously.

 

[CobbleStoner]

If the UK does very well in the Olympics I wonder if Sky would field a track team - this would add publicity to Sky during the winter (6-days, world cups, revolutions, and world championship).

world cups and world championships you compete for your nation, 6-Days are kind of an old boys network where each race decides what sponsers get what riders, the riders will wear their trade team shorts, but not jerseys, and not always paired up with trade teammates, and Sky is not part of that network, so the Revolution series is the only one they can do as Team Sky, and they do them all.
I just hope Cav's move to OPQS will give him to opportunity to get back on the boards, him and Iljo would be unstoppable in the 6-days

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

world cups and world championships you compete for your nation,

there are track trade teams for world cups, but not world championships.

 

[Froome19]

world cups and world championships you compete for your nation, 6-Days are kind of an old boys network where each race decides what sponsers get what riders, the riders will wear their trade team shorts, but not jerseys, and not always paired up with trade teammates, and Sky is not part of that network, so the Revolution series is the only one they can do as Team Sky, and they do them all.
I just hope Cav's move to OPQS will give him to opportunity to get back on the boards, him and Iljo would be unstoppable in the 6-days

I believe it was the track world cup event a couple of years ago where Britain fielded two teams.. one called GB and one called Team Sky.

Though the Team Sky one consisted of Vicky, Hoy rather than actually the riders from Team Sky.

 

[TShame]

lance's illustrious idea

From what I heard, he kept comparing his watts and speed on a time trial bike to the old-style bike record. Turns out he was way short of the speed needed. The track bike he was 'testing' wasn't round tubes anyway and his wheels had aero spokes. Some say it was just a publicity stunt. The talk switched to altitude, which was his best chance to get his speed near 50.

Maybe Wiggins can win the Giro and take the summer to train for the hour?
How about a tandem hour record with Cancellara?

 

[iZnoGouD]

He goes with TdF form he wins it easy, but that's the point of winning that?

 

[TShame]

Here we are again

Wiggins can probably still beat Jens with some heavy track training, especially now that the new rules are in place. Still not sure why Colby Pierce's 'legal bike' record of 49.8 was discounted (not his attempt on the Lotus, which is deemed illegal).
Jens smashed many expectations, but he has never been in the status of Wiggins, Cancellara, and Martin.
I'm guessing Wiggins could do 51.55, Cancellara 51.85, Martin 52.01.
I haven't seen Jens attempt yet. However, Wiggins is known for painting the line and with that many laps, he could ride much closer to 52 than either Cancellara or Martin riding at 52 (and missing most of their turns by a meter each time.) I have raced with a front disc and I know it takes much more concentration, esp. in the turns.
If Wiggins puts the number much higher, Cancellara may seek a higher altitude.

 

[avanti]

.......... Still not sure why Colby Pierce's 'legal bike' record of 49.8 was discounted (not his attempt on the Lotus, which is deemed illegal).
............

Not sure of the timing but now riders attempting the UCI hour record must be using the biological passport program. Terrible rule as there are amateurs (in the UK) who believe they can break it.