Joss Lowden’s official Hour Record attempt at Velodrome Suisse in Switzerland next Thursday 30th September will be broadcast live on Eurosport, GCN+ and YouTube.
Hoping to complete a minimum of 192 laps – 48.008km – of the track between 1600 and 1700 (BST), the Drops-Le Col rider, who will be sporting the new Le Col × McLaren Project Aero skinsuit, takes great form into the event having finished eighth in the World Championships time-trial and helping Great Britain to fifth in the mixed relay team time-trial.
Her average speed in the Flanders ITT, on a 30.3km course, was 47.758kmh, if she can maintain that power for an extra 25 minutes in track conditions then history is surely about to be made.
It was reported in February that Lowden had actually already beaten Vittoria Bussi’s record, set at altitude in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where several other successful attempts at the record have taken place, including Victor Campenaerts’ current men’s best.
Coach Sean Yates and partner Dan Bigham revealed on Twitter that Lowden had ridden 48.160km on a ‘pretty slow day’ during a training simulation.
Her original plans to go for the record were hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic, so it’s been on the cards for a long time and an immense amount of planning and preparation has gone into ensuring the record is Lowden’s come October.
Check out the whole Le Col × McLaren Project Aero kit now on Le Col
Despite the history of the Hour Record, going back to early attempts on penny farthings in the 19th century, the UCI‘s rule changes and unification of the record means that only seven women have attempts at the current format.
Lowden’s unofficial distance, though, would have beaten even the best effort prior to those changes, going just a single metre further than that recorded by Jeannie Longo in 1996.
If Lowden’s training ride is to be believed and she is successful next week, she would become the first British rider to break the women’s record since Yvonne McGregor in 1995.
Watch the attempt on Youtube.
For more information on Lowden’s attempt visit lecol.cc.
Images: Tom Griffiths