News: Victor Campenaerts Breaks Hour record

Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) wrote a piece of cycling history in Aguascalientes when he covered 55.089 kilometres in one hour to beat the previous record, set by Bradley Wiggins in 2015

News: Victor Campenaerts Breaks Hour record

Victor Campenaerts wrote a piece of cycling history on the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes today. The Lotto Soudal rider covered 55.089 kilometres in one hour and beat the previous record, set by Bradley Wiggins in 2015, by over 500 metres. That way, Victor Campenaerts can call himself, after months of training and preparation, the new holder of the UCI Hour Record!

At 18 o’clock sharp (CET), the European time trial champion began his hour of truth. After a careful start, Campenaerts was already on track to break the Hour Record only moments later. The Belgian constantly rode at a pace of 55 kilometres an hour during the attempt. During the final fifteen minutes, it seemed like Campenaerts had a difficult moment, but the Lotto Soudal rider still had some energy left to accelerate at the end. Eventually, Campenaerts crossed the magical 55-kilometre border and was crowned the new UCI Hour Record holder with a distance of 55.089 kilometres!

Victor Campenaerts: “It gives me great satisfaction to see the months of preparation being rewarded. Today, everything fell into place. The entire Lotto Soudal team supported me in this mission, which of course created the necessary pressure. But that motivated me even more to make it something special.”

“The goal before the attempt was of course to break the Hour Record, which was also a realistic goal. I maybe started a bit too optimistic but then I slowed down a bit and searched for a new pace that I could hold. At the end, I still had a difficult moment. I did not ride the perfect lines that I did in the beginning. During the final five minutes – which I rode on sheer will – I covered a lot of useless metres.”

“Already after ten to fifteen minutes, I had the feeling that it would be possible to break the record. At the end, it was close to reach the magical boundary of 55 kilometres. Between fifteen and ten minutes before the end, I was struggling but because of the adrenaline rush, you’re able to push that little bit harder. You know what’s at stake and that makes it a little easier. A party? Of course I will have a beer or two, but I’m still a professional!”