Thomas Dekker confirms he will attempt Hour record at altitude in Mexico

Dutch cyclist Thomas Dekker has confirmed he will attempt the Hour record next month, and unlike other riders planning to do so, will undertake his effort at altitude, in the velodrome at Aguascalientes in Mexico.

The former Garmin-Sharp rider, whose contract was not renewed at the end of last season, first spoke about trying for the record in November last year, and in the absence of a new team for 2015 said it may be the final act of his career.

An exact date for the record attempt has not yet been revealed, but the venue at least is now known, with Dekker believing that the track’s altitude of 2,000 metres may help him set a new record.

The 30-year-old, banned for two years in 2009 for using EPO, told Shane Stokes of the Australia-based site Cycling Tips that he was confident riding at altitude would give him an advantage: “Normally the facts speak for themselves,” he said.

“Nine of the 15 world records on the track are in Aguascalientes and normally with the altitude, despite there being less oxygen, it is one of the fastest tracks in the world. I think it is a big benefit.”

Last September, Jens Voigt became the first man to attempt the Hour under the UCI’s current rules, which allow modern track bikes and equipment.

The German Trek Factory Racing rider, in what was the final competitive ride of his career, set a distance of 51.115 kilometres, which was beaten the following month by IAM Cycling’s Matthias Brändle.

That mark is expected to fall however, with two Australian track stars, Jack Bobridge and Rohan Dennis, riding the Hour in the coming weeks, as is Alex Dowsett, who will attempt it at the end of February in London.

Sir Bradley Wiggins also confirmed this week that he will attempt it later this year, although when and where is yet to be announced.

Dekker accepts that while he may lack the strength against the clock of some of those riders, he can still get his name in the record books.

“To be honest, a guy like Rohan Dennis showed in the last years that he is a better cyclist than me, especially in the time trial,” he said. “He also has much more track experience.

“So one of my only chances is to get it over there because I have the advantage of the altitude while he is doing it in Grenchen, the track of [Dennis’s team] BMC,” he added.