The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is delighted that three new attempts will be made by Jack Bobridge, Rohan Dennis and Alex Dowsett to beat the UCI Hour Record, which currently stands at 51.852 km, as set by Austria’s Matthias Brändle at the UCI velodrome in Aigle, Switzerland, on 30 October.

Jack Bobridge, who will ride for the UCI continental team Budget Forklifts in 2015, will make his attempt at the Darebin International Sports Centre velodrome in Melbourne, Australia, on 31 January, during the final evening of the Australian Track Championships. The 25-year-old Australian, who won the world U-23 time trial crown in 2009, is a true track specialist, having also won the UCI team pursuit world title in 2010 and the silver medal in the same event at the 2012 London Olympic Games. He also holds the 4000m individual pursuit world record, stopping the clock at 4:10.534 on 2 February 2011 in Sydney. “I think it’s great that everyone is starting to put their hand up for it. It makes it more interesting,” said Bobridge. “I'm aiming to set a benchmark that leaves everyone questioning themselves about whether they want to do it or not.”

Fellow Australian Rohan Dennis, 24, will make an attempt of his own just a few days later, on 8 February, at the Vélodrome Suisse in Granges, the venue where Jens Voigt took the Hour Record distance up to 51.110km on 18 September this year. A member of the UCI WorldTour team BMC Racing, Dennis rode with Bobridge in Australia’s silver medal-winning pursuit team at the London Olympics. The young Australian enjoyed an excellent 2014 UCI Road World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain, claiming the rainbow jersey in the team time trial with BMC Racing, before finishing fifth in the individual time trial. “When I look at my experience on the track and the numbers I have been doing on the track and on the road, it is within reach,” commented Dennis. “As long as I don’t get too excited at the start and control my nerves, the pacing will take care of itself.”

The 26-year-old Alex Dowsett will take his shot at the UCI Hour Record on 27 February at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London, the venue for the track events at the 2012 Olympic Games. The winner of the British time trial title for three years in a row from 2011 to 2013, Dowsett rides for UCI WorldTour team Movistar. The London venue will see another record attempt the following day, with fellow British rider Sarah Storey going for the women’s Hour Record. “Everyone understands a world record, so I wanted my next target to be the Hour Record,” said Dowsett “The Hour is something I've always been interested in; the simplicity of it, mostly: no tactics, no hiding, just you and the bike.”

These latest attempts follow the UCI’s decision to update the Hour Record rules in May. The new rules allow riders to tackle the record on any bike that can be used in track endurance events. 

“The upcoming record attempts are great news for cycling,” said UCI President Brian Cookson. “The UCI Hour Record has regained its appeal since we changed the rules. We’ve had Jens Voigt and Matthias Brändle and now we’re going to have three new attempts, not to mention Sarah Storey going for the women’s record. I’m also delighted to see that riders from outside Europe are having a crack at this legendary record, one that adds to the global appeal of our sport. I just can’t wait to watch these attempts and to see where these riders are going to leave the record.”