Jens Voight is a Superman.

[stuartj]

I like to ride my bike, and I have a velodrome nearby. The velo is a nice change from road riding. You can just ride, no pot holes, no parked cars, no soccer mums, no tassle wearing motorcyclists.

My best ever on the velo is 32.5 kmh (20.2mph) avg over an hour and the fastest I have ever seen flashed on the bike computer is 46kmh (28.6 mph). If I come home with a 30kmh hour on the clock, I very happy. I think with a rigid training regime and no beer, I could lift this to 33 or 34 kmh. Once, maybe.

Jens Voight, 43 years old, retiring Tour De France rider, has just a world record of 51.11kmh (31.8mph) avg over an hour on a velodrome.

An hour is a very long time.

[jyl]

I don't think I've ever pedaled over 30 mph for more than a minute (w/o gravity assist). In fact, I suspect I've never maintained that speed for more than 15 seconds. Hats off to Jens!

[BlueSkyJaunte]

If you had a $16,000 all-carbon electric shifting bike you could do it too.

[look 171]

except he did it with without ever shifting

[BGCarrera32]

I've done a few bazillion laps around the 'drome and would personally pass on the opportunity to put myself through that sort of hell.

Very impressive ride indeed.

[CurtEgerer]

I'm a Jens fan, but I think Wiggins TT World Championship today is far more impressive. 47K course in 56 minutes at 50.083KPH average. On a road course. With 2 climbs.

[jyl]

Wiggins, Martin and/or Cancellara will go for the hour record in 2015, I think. No question they will be the next record holders. Whaddya think - 53 km? 54?

[Jeff Higgins]

Simply stunning.

Like a few of you who have already mentioned it, my appreciation of this accomplishment is raised through my own time spent in a velodrome. I was fortunate as a young man to live within riding distance of one of the first in our area, at Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington. I spent an awful lot of time there, even participating in their Friday night (or was it Saturday?) racing program. That seems like a lifetime ago... Oh, and I did get to see Rebecca Twigg there quite often, for you old farts who might remember that young lady.

[D911SC]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

I'm a Jens fan, but I think Wiggins TT World Championship today is far more impressive. 47K course in 56 minutes at 50.083KPH average. On a road course. With 2 climbs.

It certainly seems more impressive but the reality is that it is exceptionally difficult to maintain a steady but high wattage for an hour. At least on the road there are variations in pressure on the pedals including some short moments of respite.

Don't get me wrong, Wiggo is a champion who seems able to win anything he puts his mind to.

Eddy Merckx even said that the hour record was one of the hardest things he ever did.

Jens is one of the true greats, an old school mind in current times.

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by D911SC

It certainly seems more impressive but the reality is that it is exceptionally difficult to maintain a steady but high wattage for an hour. At least on the road there are variations in pressure on the pedals including some short moments of respite.

Don't get me wrong, Wiggo is a champion who seems able to win anything he puts his mind to.

Eddy Merckx even said that the hour record was one of the hardest things he ever did.

Jens is one of the true greats, an old school mind in current times.

These are both fantastic efforts....the apples to apples comparison will be if Wiggins attempts the hour record as well.

As an aside, I know usually set a faster average time on my 50km road loop, which is certainly not closed road TT course, than I can achieve over my "Human Hour" on the velodrome. But I have an advantage, my head is shaped like a TT helmet.

[look 171]

A really strong head is needed to do an hour on the velodrome. Now doing that balls out is on other level.

[look 171]

I wonder if the old E German school still exist, will there be more Voight, Ludwigs, or Bolts? They build those kids with steel. Tough as nails.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Just crazy... 20 minutes going all-out in a velodrome and I'm ready to keel over. An hour is hellishly long at that level of output.

[Nickshu]

That's awesome! Way to go Jens!

Is anyone clear on the rule changes and how they may have impacted his time? Says he was the first record after the rule changes regarding bike type?

Voigt breaks world hour record | Cyclingnews.com

[Kraftwerk]

Would have liked to have been in the audience in Grenchen, Switzerland.

[Steve Viegas]

I thought the one hour record was held by Miguel Indurian at more than 32mph?

[jyl]

Complicated. A little after Mercxx set his record, people started using aero bikes, disc wheels, aero positions, etc. UCI created two types of hour record, the "Athlete's Hour" required using an old-school track bike like Mercxx rode, the "Best Human Effort" allowed most aero technology but still disallowed some positions. Indurain did a best human effort ride. In 2014 the UCI changed the rules to have just one official hour record, allowing equipment legal for track pursuit racing which permits much but not all aero technology. Jens took the opportunity to set the first record under the new hour record rules. For sure his record will fall when the time trial specialists like Martin, Wiggins, etc make their attempts. But it was a perfect opportunistic move, much like the breakaways that are his signature.

[T77911S]

Jens IS the man. I have always loved the way he rides. As hard as he can all the time. I could not race that way but I sure tried to ride as hard as I could any other time.

When it was time to step things up I started training with some guys that 30mph was the norm.

Fastest for me was 45. Drafted a dump truck for a few miles.