Cycling records
Encyclopedia
This is a list of certified and recognised cycling records as recognised by the Union Cycliste Internationale
, International Human Powered Vehicle Association
and World Human Powered Vehicle Association
, Guinness World Records
, International Olympic Committee
, the UK Road Records Association
or other accepted authorities.
is the fastest that a person could go on a two wheeled bicycle. The table below shows the records that people have attained while riding bicycles.
(IHPVA) acts as the sanctioning body for new records in human-powered land, water and air vehicles. It registers non motor paced records (also called unpaced) which means that the bicycle directly faces the wind, without any motor paced vehicle in front. On land, the speed record registered by a rider on a 200 meter flying start speed trial is 133.28 km/h (82.82 mph) by the Canadian Sam Whittingham
riding the Varna Tempest, a streamliner
recumbent bicycle
in year 2009 at Battle Mountain, Nevada
.
The woman record holder for this same category was Lisa Vetterlein who reached 107.16 km/h (66.59 mph) in 2005. This record was beaten by the French woman Barbara Buatois
when she reached 121.44 km/h (75.46 mph) at Battle Mountain, Nevada
in 2009. She subsequently achieved 121.81 km/h (75.69 mph) at the 2010 running of the Battle Mountain event.
” who drafted a train to set a 96 km/h (59.7 mph) record at end of the 19th century. A mile of plywood sheets was attached to the railroad ties, so Charles would have a smooth surface riding behind the train.
In 1928, Leon Vanderstuyft from Belgium
reached 122 km/h riding behind a motorbike at a velodrome
. Alexis Blanc-Garin from France
set the record to 128.20 km/h in October 1933 riding behind a motorbike. Albert Marquet, from France, reached 139.90 km/h riding behind a car in 1937. On 22 October 1938, Alfred Letourneur
reached 147 km/h at a velodrome
in Montlhéry
, France
, riding behind a motorbike. On 17 May 1941 Letourneur broke the record again, reaching 175 km/h (108.92 mph) on a Schwinn bicycle riding behind a car on the Los Angeles
freeway near Bakersfield.
Another person to reach a remarkable record was the Frenchman Jose Meiffret
in year 1962, when he reached 204 km/h (126.8 mph) behind a Mercedes-Benz
300SL car on a German motorway.
Allan Abbott, a cycling enthusiast and motorcycle racer, established the motor paced bicycle speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, a dried up salt lake in Utah
, reaching 223 km/h (138.6 mph) in 1973.
John Howard
, Olympic cyclist and Ironman triathlon
winner, set a 244 km/h (151.6 mph) speed record also at the Bonneville Salt Flats, on July 20, 1985.
Fred Rompelberg
from Maastricht
, the Netherlands is the current holder of the motor paced speed world record cycling with 268.831 km/h (166.9 mph). He used a special bicycle behind a dragster of the Strasburg Drag Racing Team at the Bonneville Salt Flats. It is a Guinness record.
ski resort, France
, still a world record today, using a specially designed prototype bicycle.
If we analyse records using a serial production bicycle, as opposed to prototype bicycles, the record holder is Markus Stöckl
, from Austria. He managed to set a world speed record in year 1999 on snow, descending at 187 km/h (116.2 mph) at Les Arcs
. On 14 September 2007, Stöckl rode an Intense M6 mountainbike down the ski slope of La Parva
, Chile, reaching the current record of 210 km/h (130.5 mph).
The top descending speeds have always been obtained on snow. Apart from that, the ashes of a volcano have been the other surface used. In November 2001, Eric Barone descended on the Cerro Negro
volcano in Nicaragua
at 130 km/h (80.8 mph), beating his previous record achieved in Hawaii
in 1999. Barone believed he could do more, and returned to the same location on the 12th of May 2002 when he reached 163 km/h (101.3 mph) on a serial production bicycle and 172 km/h (106.9 mph), on a prototype bicycle, a world record. Markus Stöckl did beat the serial production bicycle record in 2011, when he reached 164.95 km/h (102.5 mph) on a volcano in Nicaragua. The prototype bicycle record, on a volcano, still belongs to Barone.
for bicycles is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle. The most famous type of record is for upright bicycles meeting the requirements of the Union Cycliste Internationale
(UCI) for old or modern bicycles. The old "UCI hour record" restricts competitors to use similar equipment as was used by Eddy Merckx
in 1972, disallowing time trial helmets, disc or tri-spoke wheels, aerodynamic bars and monocoque frames. The new "Best Human Effort", also called "UCI Absolute Record" allows such equipment. Hour-record attempts are made in a velodrome
, frequently at high altitude for the aerodynamic benefit of thinner air.
Another type of record registered by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association
(IHPVA) is for fully faired human-powered machines, typically streamlined
recumbent bicycles. These feature a lower frontal area than a UCI bicycle due to their recumbent seating design of the rider. They enclose the rider and machine in aerodynamic shapes made of carbon fiber, Kevlar, or Fiberglass to reduce air resistance.
The current hour records are:
between two extremities; in the southwest and northeast. The distance by road is 874 miles (1,406.6 km) and some of its current records are:
The Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) sanctions the Race Across America
, an ultra marathon bicycle race across the United States that started in 1982. The average speed records are:
. The record has been officially established nine times. A tenth claim, by the English rider Ken Webb
in 1972, was disallowed.Ken Webb's claim was for 80647 miles (129,788.4 km) in 1972. Webb insisted he had completed the distance but others said he hadn't and he was removed from the Guinness Book of Records..
achievements and records:
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
, International Human Powered Vehicle Association
International Human Powered Vehicle Association
The International Human Powered Vehicle Association is dedicated to promoting the design and development of human powered vehicles.- History :...
and World Human Powered Vehicle Association
World Human Powered Vehicle Association
The World Human Powered Vehicle Association is dedicated to promoting the design and development of human powered vehicles. Its main focus is coordinating between national HPV clubs with regard to competitions and records...
, Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, the UK Road Records Association
Road Records Association
The Road Records Association is a British cycle racing organisation which supervises records on the road but not in conventional races. It is one of the oldest cycle sport organisations in the world, formed in 1888.-Remit:...
or other accepted authorities.
Speed record on a bicycle
The record for the fastest speed on a bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
is the fastest that a person could go on a two wheeled bicycle. The table below shows the records that people have attained while riding bicycles.
| Name | Year | Speed | Type of record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Whittingham Sam Whittingham Sam Whittingham is a Canadian cyclist who has held several world records on recumbent bicycles., he holds the following world records under the sanction of the International Human Powered Vehicle Association:... |
2009 | 133 km/h (82.6 mph) | Flat surface, unpaced |
| Barbara Buatois Barbara Buatois Barbara Buatois is a French cyclist and one of the fastest female recumbent racers and ultra cyclists.Buatois was born in Oullins. She rides recumbent bikes over the complete world HPV Championships as well as long distance events such as Raid Provence Extreme and Bordeaux–Paris... |
2010 | 121 km/h (75.2 mph) | Flat surface, unpaced (woman) |
| Fred Rompelberg Fred Rompelberg Fred Rompelberg is a Dutch cyclist who has set several world cycling records. He is mainly known for his eleven world records cycling behind heavy engines, and for taking several attempts to break the Absolute World Speed Record Cycling... |
1995 | 268 km/h (166.5 mph) | Flat surface, motor-paced |
| Bruce Bursford Bruce Bursford Bruce Bursford was a British sportsman who broke the record for the fastest speed on a bicycle at 334.6 km/h in 1995.... |
1996 | 334 km/h (207.5 mph) | Riding on a roller |
| Markus Stöckl Markus Stöckl Markus 'Max' Stöckl is an Austrian racing cyclist from Oberndorf in Tirol, mainly occupied with mountainbike racing, who is known for establishing the world speed record descending on a serial production mountainbike, both on snow, when he reached 210 km/h in 2007, and on gravel, when he reached... |
2011 | 164.95 km/h (102.5 mph) | Downhill on a volcano, on a serial production bicycle. |
| Eric Barone | 2002 | 172 km/h (106.9 mph) | Downhill on a volcano, on a prototype bicycle |
| Markus Stöckl Markus Stöckl Markus 'Max' Stöckl is an Austrian racing cyclist from Oberndorf in Tirol, mainly occupied with mountainbike racing, who is known for establishing the world speed record descending on a serial production mountainbike, both on snow, when he reached 210 km/h in 2007, and on gravel, when he reached... |
2007 | 210.4 km/h (130.7 mph) | Downhill on snow, on a serial production bicycle |
| Eric Barone | 2000 | 222 km/h (137.9 mph) | Downhill on snow, on a prototype bicycle |
History of unpaced records
The International Human Powered Vehicle AssociationInternational Human Powered Vehicle Association
The International Human Powered Vehicle Association is dedicated to promoting the design and development of human powered vehicles.- History :...
(IHPVA) acts as the sanctioning body for new records in human-powered land, water and air vehicles. It registers non motor paced records (also called unpaced) which means that the bicycle directly faces the wind, without any motor paced vehicle in front. On land, the speed record registered by a rider on a 200 meter flying start speed trial is 133.28 km/h (82.82 mph) by the Canadian Sam Whittingham
Sam Whittingham
Sam Whittingham is a Canadian cyclist who has held several world records on recumbent bicycles., he holds the following world records under the sanction of the International Human Powered Vehicle Association:...
riding the Varna Tempest, a streamliner
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
recumbent bicycle
Recumbent bicycle
A recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons; the rider's weight is distributed comfortably over a larger area, supported by back and buttocks...
in year 2009 at Battle Mountain, Nevada
Battle Mountain, Nevada
Battle Mountain is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Lander County, Nevada, United States. The population was 2,871 at the 2000 census. Though it has no legal status as a municipality, it still functions as the county seat of Lander County...
.
The woman record holder for this same category was Lisa Vetterlein who reached 107.16 km/h (66.59 mph) in 2005. This record was beaten by the French woman Barbara Buatois
Barbara Buatois
Barbara Buatois is a French cyclist and one of the fastest female recumbent racers and ultra cyclists.Buatois was born in Oullins. She rides recumbent bikes over the complete world HPV Championships as well as long distance events such as Raid Provence Extreme and Bordeaux–Paris...
when she reached 121.44 km/h (75.46 mph) at Battle Mountain, Nevada
Battle Mountain, Nevada
Battle Mountain is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Lander County, Nevada, United States. The population was 2,871 at the 2000 census. Though it has no legal status as a municipality, it still functions as the county seat of Lander County...
in 2009. She subsequently achieved 121.81 km/h (75.69 mph) at the 2010 running of the Battle Mountain event.
History of motor-paced records
Motor pacing is a type of human-powered record where a pace vehicle is modified by adding a tail fairing to keep the wind off the cyclist who is riding behind it. This type of record was invented by Charles “Mile-a-Minute MurphyMile-a-Minute Murphy
Charles Minthorn Murphy , also known as Mile-a-Minute Murphy, was an American cycling athlete. He was the first man ever to ride a bicycle for one mile in less than a minute...
” who drafted a train to set a 96 km/h (59.7 mph) record at end of the 19th century. A mile of plywood sheets was attached to the railroad ties, so Charles would have a smooth surface riding behind the train.
In 1928, Leon Vanderstuyft from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
reached 122 km/h riding behind a motorbike at a velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
. Alexis Blanc-Garin from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
set the record to 128.20 km/h in October 1933 riding behind a motorbike. Albert Marquet, from France, reached 139.90 km/h riding behind a car in 1937. On 22 October 1938, Alfred Letourneur
Alfred Letourneur
Alfred Letourneur was a professional cyclist. He is known for setting the motor-paced world speed record...
reached 147 km/h at a velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
in Montlhéry
Montlhéry
Montlhéry is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located from Paris.Inhabitants of Montlhéry are known as Montlhériens.-History:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, riding behind a motorbike. On 17 May 1941 Letourneur broke the record again, reaching 175 km/h (108.92 mph) on a Schwinn bicycle riding behind a car on the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
freeway near Bakersfield.
Another person to reach a remarkable record was the Frenchman Jose Meiffret
Jose Meiffret
José Meiffret was a cyclist who set a world motor-paced speed record of 204.73 km/h behind a Mercedes-Benz 300SL on the German Autobahn on July 16, 1962 at Freiburg Germany. This record was set on a bicycle setup with a 130-tooth chainring, weighing 20 kg and equipped with wooden...
in year 1962, when he reached 204 km/h (126.8 mph) behind a Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
300SL car on a German motorway.
Allan Abbott, a cycling enthusiast and motorcycle racer, established the motor paced bicycle speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, a dried up salt lake in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, reaching 223 km/h (138.6 mph) in 1973.
John Howard
John Howard (cyclist)
John Kennedy Howard is an Olympic cyclist from the United States, who set a land speed record of 152.2 miles per hour while motor-pacing on a pedal bicycle on July 20, 1985 on Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats...
, Olympic cyclist and Ironman triathlon
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
winner, set a 244 km/h (151.6 mph) speed record also at the Bonneville Salt Flats, on July 20, 1985.
Fred Rompelberg
Fred Rompelberg
Fred Rompelberg is a Dutch cyclist who has set several world cycling records. He is mainly known for his eleven world records cycling behind heavy engines, and for taking several attempts to break the Absolute World Speed Record Cycling...
from Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, the Netherlands is the current holder of the motor paced speed world record cycling with 268.831 km/h (166.9 mph). He used a special bicycle behind a dragster of the Strasburg Drag Racing Team at the Bonneville Salt Flats. It is a Guinness record.
History of downhill records
During the last decade of the 20th century, two Frenchmen, Eric Barone and Christian Taillefer set the speed record descending on snow several times. On the 21st of April 2000, Eric Barone reached 222 km/h (137.9 mph) at Les ArcsLes Arcs
Les Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino...
ski resort, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, still a world record today, using a specially designed prototype bicycle.
If we analyse records using a serial production bicycle, as opposed to prototype bicycles, the record holder is Markus Stöckl
Markus Stöckl
Markus 'Max' Stöckl is an Austrian racing cyclist from Oberndorf in Tirol, mainly occupied with mountainbike racing, who is known for establishing the world speed record descending on a serial production mountainbike, both on snow, when he reached 210 km/h in 2007, and on gravel, when he reached...
, from Austria. He managed to set a world speed record in year 1999 on snow, descending at 187 km/h (116.2 mph) at Les Arcs
Les Arcs
Les Arcs is a ski resort located in Savoie, France, in the Tarentaise Valley town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Initially created by Robert Blanc and Roger Godino...
. On 14 September 2007, Stöckl rode an Intense M6 mountainbike down the ski slope of La Parva
La Parva
La Parva is a town and ski resort located about northeast of the Chilean capital of Santiago. It is in the middle ridge of the "3 Valleys" resorts that also includes El Colorado and Valle Nevado....
, Chile, reaching the current record of 210 km/h (130.5 mph).
The top descending speeds have always been obtained on snow. Apart from that, the ashes of a volcano have been the other surface used. In November 2001, Eric Barone descended on the Cerro Negro
Cerro Negro
Cerro Negro is a volcano in the Cordillera de los Maribios mountain range in Nicaragua, about 10 km from the village of Malpaisillo. It is a very new volcano, the youngest in Central America, having first appeared in April 1850...
volcano in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
at 130 km/h (80.8 mph), beating his previous record achieved in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1999. Barone believed he could do more, and returned to the same location on the 12th of May 2002 when he reached 163 km/h (101.3 mph) on a serial production bicycle and 172 km/h (106.9 mph), on a prototype bicycle, a world record. Markus Stöckl did beat the serial production bicycle record in 2011, when he reached 164.95 km/h (102.5 mph) on a volcano in Nicaragua. The prototype bicycle record, on a volcano, still belongs to Barone.
Hour records
The hour recordHour record
The hour record for bicycles is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle. There are several records. The most famous is for upright bicycles meeting the requirements of the Union Cycliste Internationale . It is one of the most prestigious in cycling...
for bicycles is the record for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle. The most famous type of record is for upright bicycles meeting the requirements of the Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
(UCI) for old or modern bicycles. The old "UCI hour record" restricts competitors to use similar equipment as was used by Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
in 1972, disallowing time trial helmets, disc or tri-spoke wheels, aerodynamic bars and monocoque frames. The new "Best Human Effort", also called "UCI Absolute Record" allows such equipment. Hour-record attempts are made in a velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
, frequently at high altitude for the aerodynamic benefit of thinner air.
Another type of record registered by the International Human Powered Vehicle Association
International Human Powered Vehicle Association
The International Human Powered Vehicle Association is dedicated to promoting the design and development of human powered vehicles.- History :...
(IHPVA) is for fully faired human-powered machines, typically streamlined
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
recumbent bicycles. These feature a lower frontal area than a UCI bicycle due to their recumbent seating design of the rider. They enclose the rider and machine in aerodynamic shapes made of carbon fiber, Kevlar, or Fiberglass to reduce air resistance.
The current hour records are:
- UCI "Best human effort": Chris BoardmanChris BoardmanChristopher "Chris" Boardman MBE is a former English racing cyclist who won an individual pursuit gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics and broke the world hour record three times, as well as winning three stages and wearing the yellow jersey on three separate occasions at the Tour de France...
, 1996, 56.375 km - UCI hour record: Ondřej SosenkaOndrej SosenkaOndřej Sosenka is a Czech professional cyclist and rides for the UCI Professional Continental team PSK Whirlpool-Author. He won the Peace Race in 2002. He broke the nine-year old UCI hour record on July 19, 2005 in Moscow, Russia, riding in one hour.Sosenka was known as one of the largest...
, 2005, 49.700 km - IHPVA: Damjan Zabovnik, 2008, 87.123 km (on 19 July 2009 Sam WhittinghamSam WhittinghamSam Whittingham is a Canadian cyclist who has held several world records on recumbent bicycles., he holds the following world records under the sanction of the International Human Powered Vehicle Association:...
has achieved 90.598 km, but this record is pending approval by IHPVA and WHPVA committees)
Road record
- Charles TerrontCharles TerrontCharles Terront was the first major French cycling star. He won sprint, middle distance and endurance events in Europe and the United States. In September 1891 he won the first Paris–Brest–Paris cycle race, which at was more than double the length of any previous event...
covered 546 kilometres (339 mi) in 1879. - George Pilkington MillsGeorge Pilkington MillsGeorge Pilkington Mills was the dominant English racing cyclist of his generation, and winner of the inaugural Bordeaux–Paris cycle race. He frequently cycled from Land's End to John o' Groats, holding the world record time on six occasions between 1886 and 1895. He was a member of the Anfield and...
set the record at 259 miles circa 1890. - Cyril HepplestonCyril HepplestonCyril Heppleston, was an English cyclist from Bradford who broke the 100-mile, 200-mile, and 12-hour competition records in 1937, and was the only man to beat 250 miles in twelve hours in open competition...
set the road record at 478½ miles circa 1938. - Hubert OppermanHubert OppermanSir Hubert Ferdinand Opperman, OBE , referred to as Oppy by Australian and French crowds, was an Australian cyclist and politician, whose endurance cycling feats in the 1920s and 1930s earned him international acclaim....
set the road record at 505¾ miles in MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 5 December 1939.
Ladies Road record
- Edith AtkinsEdith AtkinsEdith Atkins was a racing cyclist and a prolific breaker of long-distance records in the 1950s. She completed 12 different record-breaking journeys. The records included Land's End to John o' Groats; Land's End to London; Holyhead to London; London to York, London to Edinburgh; and London to Great...
set the Ladies road record at 422 miles (679.1 km) on 12 July 1953
Ladies Velodrome record
- Anna MeiAnna MeiAnna Mei is a racing cyclist, mountain biker and a breaker of long-distance records. She set the Ladies velodrome record at 441.55 miles , average speed 18.40 mph at the Roberto Battaglia velodrome in Busto Garolfo .-Palmarès:*2009 : Winner 24h MTB World Solo Championship, Age Group Mtb -...
(ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) set the Ladies velodrome record at 441.55 miles (711.04 km), average speed 18.40 mph (29.63 km/h) at the Roberto Battaglia velodrome in Busto GarolfoBusto GarolfoBusto Garolfo is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 25 km northwest of Milan.-External links:*...
(ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
).
Track record
- Hubert OppermanHubert OppermanSir Hubert Ferdinand Opperman, OBE , referred to as Oppy by Australian and French crowds, was an Australian cyclist and politician, whose endurance cycling feats in the 1920s and 1930s earned him international acclaim....
set the track record at 489.3 miles (787.5 km) in Melbourne in 1940.
Long-distance records
Land's End to John O'Groats is the traversal of the whole length of the island of Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
between two extremities; in the southwest and northeast. The distance by road is 874 miles (1,406.6 km) and some of its current records are:
- Upright bicycle: Gethin Butler, 2001, 44h 4m 20s
- Faired recumbent bicycleRecumbent bicycleA recumbent bicycle is a bicycle that places the rider in a laid-back reclining position. Most recumbent riders choose this type of design for ergonomic reasons; the rider's weight is distributed comfortably over a larger area, supported by back and buttocks...
: Andy Wilkinson, 1996, 41h 4m 22s
The Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) sanctions the Race Across America
Race Across America
The Race Across America, or RAAM, is an ultra marathon bicycle race across the United States that started in 1982 as the Great American Bike Race....
, an ultra marathon bicycle race across the United States that started in 1982. The average speed records are:
- Fastest average speed (men): Pete PenseyresPete PenseyresPete Penseyres was the winner of the bicycle Race Across America, or RAAM, in 1986, setting aworld record of 3107 miles at 15.40 miles per hour . He finished in 8 days, 9 hours, and 47 minutes. He is the introducer of aerobars to mimic a downhill skier's speed advantage.-References:...
, 1986, who averaged 15.40 mph (24.8 km/h) riding 3107 miles (5,000.2 km) in 8 days, 9 hours, and 47 minutes. - Fastest average speed (woman): Seana Hogan, 1995, who averaged 13.23 mph (21.3 km/h) riding 2912 miles (4,686.4 km) in 9 days, 4 hours, 2 minutes.
The World Endurance record for distance in a calendar year
The world record for distance cycled in a year began in 1911, an era when bicycle companies competed to show their machines were the most reliable. The competition was organised by the magazine CyclingCycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly is a British cycling magazine. It is published by IPC Media and is devoted to the sport and past-time of cycling. It is affectionately referred to by British club cyclists as "The Comic".-History:...
. The record has been officially established nine times. A tenth claim, by the English rider Ken Webb
Ken Webb
Ken Webb is an English cyclist who at 42 claimed the world record for distance cycled in a year. He calculated he passed the 75,065 miles set by another Briton, Tommy Godwin on 7 August 1972 and that he finished the year with 80,647. He rode on to claim the record for 100,000 miles in 448 days...
in 1972, was disallowed.Ken Webb's claim was for 80647 miles (129,788.4 km) in 1972. Webb insisted he had completed the distance but others said he hadn't and he was removed from the Guinness Book of Records..
| Year | Record holder | Country | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Marcel Planes | 34666 miles (55,789.4 km) | |
| 1932 | Arthur Humbles Arthur Humbles Albert Arthur Humbles was an English cyclist who set the world endurance cycling record by covering 36,007 miles during the calender year of 1932... |
36007 miles (57,947.5 km) | |
| 1933 | Ossie Nicholson | 43966 miles (70,756.2 km) | |
| 1936 | Walter Greaves | 45383 miles (73,036.7 km) | |
| 1937 | Bernard Bennett | 45801 miles (73,709.4 km) | |
| 1937 | René Menzies René Menzies René Menzies was a French long-distance cyclist who at 48 held a record for the greatest distance ridden on a bicycle in a year. He rode 61,561 miles in 1937. He was decorated with the Croix de Guerre in the first world war and was chauffeur to the French leader, Charles de Gaulle in the second... |
61561 miles (99,072.6 km) | |
| 1937 | Ossie Nicholson | 62657 miles (100,836.4 km) | |
| 1939 | Bernard Bennett | 65127 miles (104,811.5 km) | |
| 1939 | Tommy Godwin Tommy Godwin (cyclist born 1912) Tommy Godwin, was an English cyclist who holds the world cycling records for miles covered in a year and the fastest completion of .... |
75065 miles (120,805.1 km) |
Road bicycle racing records
The following is a list of Road bicycle racingRoad bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
achievements and records:
- MonumentClassic cycle racesThe classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same...
wins: Eddy MerckxEddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
(19), Roger De VlaeminckRoger De VlaeminckRoger De Vlaeminck is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist. He was described by Rik Van Looy as '"The most talented and the only real classics rider of his generation"...
(11), Costante GirardengoCostante GirardengoCostante Girardengo was an Italian professional road bicycle racer, considered by many to be one of the finest riders in the history of the sport. He was the first rider to be declared a "Campionissimo" or "champion of champions" by the Italian media and fans...
, Fausto CoppiFausto CoppiAngelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
, Sean KellySeán Kelly (cyclist)John James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...
(9) - Grand TourGrand Tour (cycling)In road bicycle racing, a Grand Tour refers to one of the three major European professional cycling stage races:* Tour de France – Tour of France , held in July* Giro d'Italia – Tour of Italy , held in May...
wins: Eddy MerckxEddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
(11), Bernard HinaultBernard HinaultBernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
(10), Jacques AnquetilJacques AnquetilJacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...
(8) - Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
wins: Lance ArmstrongLance ArmstrongLance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
(7 consecutive), Miguel IndurainMiguel IndurainMiguel Ángel Indurain Larraya is a retired Spanish road racing cyclist. He won five consecutive Tour de Frances from 1991 and 1995, the first to do so, and the fourth athlete to win five times. He won the Giro d'Italia twice, becoming one of only seven people in history to achieve the Giro Tour...
(5 consecutive), Eddy Merckx (5), Bernard Hinault (5), Jacques AnquetilJacques AnquetilJacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...
(5) - Giro d'ItaliaGiro d'ItaliaThe Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
wins: Alfredo BindaAlfredo BindaAlfredo Binda was an Italian cyclist of the 1920s and 1930s, later trainer of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. Binda was the first multiple Giro d'Italia champion, securing five victories between 1925 and 1933 that redefined the way stage races were ridden...
(5; 3 consecutive), Fausto CoppiFausto CoppiAngelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
(5) Eddy Merckx (5) - Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
yellow jerseyYellow jerseyThe general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
s: Eddy MerckxEddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
(96), Lance ArmstrongLance ArmstrongLance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
(83), Bernard HinaultBernard HinaultBernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
(75), Miguel IndurainMiguel IndurainMiguel Ángel Indurain Larraya is a retired Spanish road racing cyclist. He won five consecutive Tour de Frances from 1991 and 1995, the first to do so, and the fourth athlete to win five times. He won the Giro d'Italia twice, becoming one of only seven people in history to achieve the Giro Tour...
(60), Jacques AnquetilJacques AnquetilJacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...
(50), Antonin MagneAntonin MagneAntonin Magne was a French cyclist who won the Tour de France in 1931 and 1934. He raced as a professional from 1927 to 1939 and then became a team manager...
(38), Nicolas FrantzNicolas FrantzNicolas Frantz , born in Mamer, Luxembourg, was a bicycle racer with 60 professional racing victories over his 12-year career . He rode for the Thomann team in 1923 and then for Alcyon-Dunlop from 1924 to 1931. He won the Tour de France in 1927 and 1928.Nicolas Frantz was the son of a prosperous...
and Philippe ThysPhilippe ThysPhilippe Thys was a Belgian cyclist and three times winner of the Tour de France.-Professional career:...
(37) - Giro d'ItaliaGiro d'ItaliaThe Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
pink jersey : Eddy MerckxEddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
(78), Alfredo BindaAlfredo BindaAlfredo Binda was an Italian cyclist of the 1920s and 1930s, later trainer of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. Binda was the first multiple Giro d'Italia champion, securing five victories between 1925 and 1933 that redefined the way stage races were ridden...
(60), Francesco MoserFrancesco MoserFrancesco Moser , nicknamed "Lo sceriffo" , is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the dominant riders from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, and won the 1984 Giro d'Italia, the 1977 world road racing championship and six victories in three of the five Monuments...
(57), Gino BartaliGino BartaliGino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...
(50), Giuseppe SaronniGiuseppe SaronniGiuseppe Saronni , also known as Beppe Saronni, is an Italian former racing cyclist.-Biography:Born in Novara, Piedmont, Saronni turned professional in 1977. During his career, that lasted until 1989, he won 193 races...
(49), Jacques AnquetilJacques AnquetilJacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...
(42), Fausto CoppiFausto CoppiAngelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
and Bernard HinaultBernard HinaultBernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
(31) - Triple Crown of CyclingTriple Crown of CyclingThe Triple Crown of Cycling is considered the greatest achievement in cycling. Although more definitions for the term are used, mostly it means winning the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Road World Cycling Championship in one year, although occasionally a broader definition where one...
: Eddy MerckxEddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
(1974), Stephen RocheStephen RocheStephen Roche is a retired professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming only the second cyclist to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia stage races, plus the World road race championship...
(1987) - UCI Road World Cup: Paolo BettiniPaolo BettiniPaolo Bettini is an Italian former champion road racing cyclist, and the coach of the Italian national cycling team. Considered the best classics specialist of his generation, and probably one of the strongest of all times, he won gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics road race and in the 2006...
(3), - UCI Road World RankingsUCI Road World RankingsThe UCI Road World Rankings was a system of ranking road bicycle racers based upon the results in all UCI-sanctioned races over a twelve month period. The world rankings were first instituted by the UCI in 1984....
: Sean KellySeán Kelly (cyclist)John James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...
(5) - Vélo d'OrVélo d'OrThe "" is a cycle racing award, created in 1992 by the French cycling magazine Vélo Magazine. Vélo d'or is widely regarded as the most prestigious individual award in cycling. The award is given annually to the rider considered to have performed the best over the year.Lance Armstrong holds the...
award: Lance ArmstrongLance ArmstrongLance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
(5) - Daniel Marszalek's Ranking: Eddy MerckxEddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
(5,844.80), Bernard HinaultBernard HinaultBernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
(3,312.80), Sean KellySeán Kelly (cyclist)John James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...
(3,074,90)