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news
Dowsett 3 (copyright Anthony Collins)Alex Dowsett wants to regain UCI Hour Record
Alex Dowsett is keen to regain the Hour record after Sir Bradley Wiggins covered 54.526km to set a new benchmark this weekend. Speaking to the BBC, Dowsett said that while he didn’t yet have a date in mind, he was certain he could improve on his previous effort and would like give the Hour another try at some point in the future.
Dowsett set the previous mark of 52.937km in May, but feels he could have gone further. "We ran a very conservative race and I could have gone faster," he said.
A lot of commentators felt that Bradley Wiggins was ideally suited to an Hour record attempt, but Dowsett too feels he has the right attributes and the 26-year-old also points out that, unlike Wiggins, he has time on his side. "It is right up my street as a time trialist with a track background. I would like to go back and see what I am capable of, whether that be next year or in eight years' time."
Speaking to Sky Sports, Wiggins concurred.
"Personally I would love to see Fabian [Cancellara] and Tony [Martin] have a go at it. They don't have the track pedigree to have a go at it, but I wouldn’t discount Alex. I would think Alex will have a look at that and consider his options. Alex, very much like me, will go away and do his homework and, if he thinks it is possible, he will have a go at it.
“But to be honest, Alex, the age he is at, he has probably got another eight years to have a go at this. Maybe not in the immediate future, but certainly in the next eight-odd years. Fabian and Tony are running out of time, probably."
Steve Collins, a member of Dowsett's Hour record trackside team, said he felt that British Cycling preferred Wiggins to Dowsett, helping to design parts of the former’s bike and getting involved in other ways.
Speaking to BBC Essex, he said:
"One of the sad bits about it was that Bradley's bike wasn't in production. He also had the help of British Cycling which, well, is not allowed. It was a bit strange to see British Cycling, like Shane Sutton, getting so involved last night when he doesn't work for Team Wiggins, I'm not sure how that's allowed.”
Referring to Wiggins’ bike, he said: "For attempts like that it should all be production available so you can buy it off the shelf. You can't get 3D-printed handlebars moulded to your own arms to make it easier for your own attempt."
Dowsett could perhaps be forgiven for harbouring similar thoughts, but he said it wasn’t a concern. “I had massive support from my team and sponsors, so it was not something that crossed my mind. I had more than enough support from my own team.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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14 comments
Never mind either of them. I just want to see Tony Martin have a go at it.
You just want to see a really massive chainring.
Forget about the bike. Would Dowsett get a hand stitched bespoke Rapha jacket made from 'Japanese silk' if he sets a new record distance? I doubt it.
The UCI passed the bike....
The intent of the rules is to prevent trade secrets and money buying a significant advantage. Not prevent custom parts.
Custom parts have always existed in cycling, this is no different to getting measured and someone making you a frame. A service available to anyone with money.
Provided any other rider could get their arms scanned and the bars printed from the same companies team Wiggins used it should be both in the letter and spirit of the law.
I hope he goes for it. The technicality of the bikes is astonishing and it's a bit like Formula One. At least Dowsett and Wiggins have similar Engines
sounds indeed like sour grapes. However i admire Dowsett for his stance of saying he was happy with the support he got, and not joining in with his coach's complaints. As has been stated he has a longer time frame to give it another go, and who knows what technology will be available to him then, to give him an advantage over Wiggins' 3d printed handle bars. Whilst i don't doubt they helped i would like to think they weren't the only reason Wiggins hit the distance he did!!!
Technicalities of the rules already getting mudded.
Having been at Manchester I honestly think Alex had at least 500m more in him and possibly as much as 750. I reckon if he works in the background on it he'll get the record back. As said he has the advantage of age very much on his side. To be honest though I imagine it will only increase by single figures, certainly not many 10s of metres.
Why not?
Yeah, I can't buy the bike that Alex used on the Canyon site. IN fact Plus, what about his skin suit, where do I buy one of them? The wheels, my LBS doesn't stock them, nor does CRC et al stock them. Sour grapes indeed!
That sounds a bit like sour grapes more than anything else, especially as Pinarello said they'd offer the service (custom 3d printed bars) to customers. So then it becomes a customer product, no?
To Gkam84 -
With a "money is no object" approach, I'm certain that you totally COULD go out and buy titanium 3D printed aerobars.
Wasn't Dowsett's bike a one-off, customised version of the Speedmax road TT frame?
I love that someone in the Dowsett camp is already claiming the legality of Wiggo's record.
I think they have a point though, everything has to be production parts that someone can buy (no matter the cost) So you "could" buy a British Cycling track bike, in theory. BUT, you can't just go out and buy custom fitted titanium printed aero bars...
Apparently you can. Take a look at the IL BOLDIE white paper on the Pinerello site. They'll happily sell you a custom made, 3D printed titanium set of bars. It'll cost you, though.