The Union Cycliste International (UCI) announced today, that American cyclist Evelyn Stevens will challenge Bridie O’Donnell’s UCI Hour Record in Colorado Springs on February 27.
Stevens, who is a two-time USA national time trial champion, as well as a silver and bronze medalist in the individual time trial in the World Championships, marks the fourth woman to attempt the record over the last year.
“While attempting to break the UCI Hour Record is exciting for me and my career, I’m also proud to help shine a light on women’s cycling,” Stevens said. “This will be a special day, and it’s an honor to make my record attempt under the new dome at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Velodrome.”
While Australian Bridie O’Donnell currently holds the UCI Hour Record of 46.882km, which she set last month, Stevens is also aiming to break Jeannie Longo’s UCI best human effort record of 48.159km, set in October 1996 using the now-banned Superman position.
“The current Women’s UCI Hour Record will be only five weeks old when Evelyn Stevens tries to establish a new mark,” said UCI president Brian Cookson.
“Bridie O’Donnell set a tough mark last month and I am looking forward tremendously to following this next challenge. It is clear that the excitement surrounding the iconic UCI Hour Record will be just as high in 2016 as it was last year when we saw six attempts on the men’s record and two on the women’s record.”
Stevens will attempt the feat at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Velodrome, the official training venue for U.S. Olympic and Paralympic track cycling, which sits 6,000 feet above sea level, calling to mind Eddy Merckx’s 1972 hour record ride 7,500 feet above sea level in Mexico City.
from the UCI …
2012 Olympian and five-time UCI Road World Championships medallist Evelyn Stevens (USA) will attempt to break the Women’s UCI Hour Record on February 27th.
The rider from the Boels Dolmans Cycling Team will attack the record at midday MST (8pm CET) at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Velodrome. The 333.3-meter banked cement track sits at just over 6,000 feet above sea level and is covered by a newly-constructed winter dome.
Stevens will attempt to beat the current record of 46.882km set by Bridie O’Donnell (AUS) on January 22nd 2016 in Adelaide, Australia.
“While attempting to break the UCI Hour Record is exciting for me and my career, I’m also proud to help shine a light on women’s cycling,” Stevens said. “This will be a special day, and it’s an honour to make my record attempt under the new dome at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Velodrome.”
Stevens, a road cyclist, will be the first American to attempt the record since Molly Shaffer Van Houweling set the record of 46.273km on September 12th 2015 in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
In May 2014, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) modernised and simplified the rules regarding the UCI Hour Record; the record can now be tackled using any bicycle that conforms to the rules defining the characteristics of the bicycles used in endurance track events. Following the rule change, eight men have challenged the record, with Bradley Wiggins setting the current bar of 54.526km. In addition to Bridie O’Donnell and Molly Shaffer Van Houweling, Sarah Storey also had a go at the women’s record.
UCI President Brian Cookson welcomed the news of the latest attempt: “The current Women’s UCI Hour Record will be only five weeks old when Evelyn Stevens tries to establish a new mark. Bridie O’Donnell set a tough mark last month and I am looking forward tremendously to following this next challenge. It is clear that the excitement surrounding the iconic UCI Hour Record will be just as high in 2016 as it was last year when we saw six attempts on the men’s record and two on the women’s record.”
“We are thrilled that Evie is attempting to break this very prestigious record here in the United States in front of an international audience,” said USA Cycling CEO Derek Bouchard-Hall. “Having one of our top American athletes chase history under our new Olympic Training Center Velodome will be very special. We are grateful to the U.S. Olympic Committee for making this event possible with the recent dome and in helping us host this event later this month.”
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