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news
Christoph Strasser 24 hour velodrome record (source christophstrasser.at).jpgAustrian ultracyclist Christoph Strasser smashes 24-hour track cycling record
Austrian ultracylist Christoph Strasser has set a new world record for the distance ridden on a velodrome in 24 hours, riding an astonishing 941.873 kilometres at the Velodrome Suisse.
The four-time winner of the Race Across America completed 3,767 laps of the 250 metre track in Grenchen, Switzerland, starting at 1pm last Saturday 14 October. His average speed was 39.42 kilometres an hour.
He had to overcome stomach problems that set in four hours into his ride, which took place at the Specialized-Days Grenchen, with 500 people testing the latest models from the US-based brand.
Those problems, caused by the pressure on his stomach due to his aerodynamic position on his bike, meant that his refuelling strategy needed to be reassessed as he continued to ride, with Strasser stopping just once, after 20 hours and for just three minutes.
Ahead of the ride, Strasser described the record attempt as “the most difficult and boring thing you can do,” on a bike, adding that “the mental effort to fight against boredom plays a major role“
"It was an incredible ride,” he reflected afterwards. “I’ve ridden across continents, I set the 24-hour outdoor world record in Berlin.
> Christoph Strasser sets new 24-hour cycling record of 556 miles (896km)
“But almost nothing else compares to today,” he added.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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12 comments
Interested to know why he's using a geared road (well OK, TT) bike rather than a proper track bike. I'm sure that's not quite in the spirit of things.
That's not what it's about these days though (seea also above). It's about finding every tiny advantage and maximising it.
The old way of doing it - in theory at least - any old punter could give it a go and maybe have a chance. Now, you need enough cash to book out an airfeild or velodrome for an our and have loads of support team.
It's still impressive I suppose, but not exactly an inspiring story.
World road 24 hour record holder is Andy Wilkinson at 541.17 miles. End. Of.
556 is still classified as the road record even though done on a closed airport circuit, similarly to the Amanda Croker record.
As I've said numerous times, it's got to the point where people are using as many methods as possible to break the records whilst remaining inside the (new) rules but not the spirit, road should mean on an open road and bicycle should mean upright but the Ultra lot allow various conditions and machines to count.
Oh that's just typical cheating Aussie fayre - the bloke on the inside hasn't even got a bike and he's STILL only just pipped him....
Er, the guy is an AUSTRIAN!
Been sleeping in the knife drawer? Sharp as a beachball...
Nice ride, I think he still holds the Ultra record for road miles in 24hours, doing 556 on a pan flat airport circuit 2 years ago.
It does put the efforts of home grown riders BITD like Roy Cromack's (clifton CC) 507miles in 1969 into perspective.
Being fed on the go on the track is an interesting thing if you've never tried it, got the food, oops here comes the bend, a lot more difficult than feeding on the road.
Jeez, he's a tough cookie. I'm not sure how long I could keep that speed up for.
Did he have a crack team of endurance comedians to tell him jokes and keep him entertained during his ride/ Just how do you stave off the boredom?
you have to embrace the boredom - like going into a meditative trance
closest I've got is 9 hours straight - I seemed to lose my peripheral vision, like looking down a tunnel at your front wheel, completely zoned
Blimey, most of us would struggle to maintain that speed for 1/2 hr, let alone 24 inc a break!
Imagine the mental fortitude to get off after 20 hours, and hop back on thinking "ah, another 4 hours to go..."
Wow; I wonder if he's woken up yet...? Nah: probably still asleep.