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Bobridge prepares for cycling hell

Dec 19, 2014
Jack Bobridge competing for Australia at the Commonwealth Games.

Jack Bobridge competing for Australia at the Commonwealth Games.

South Australia’s Jack Bobridge is ready to go to hell and back – repeatedly – as he attempts to break one of track cycling’s most fabled records.

Bobridge has revealed details of his hour world record ride, which will be the first of several bids next year to break the mark.

His attempt during the last day of the track nationals on January 31 also means it will be a massive weekend for Australian cycling.

The day after Bobridge’s world record bid on the Saturday at Darebin velodrome in Melbourne, Cadel Evans will race for the last time at the inaugural Great Ocean Rd race named in his honour.

The hour is a simple, brutal test – ride as far as possible in 60 minutes – and Bobridge knows what is coming.

“I will go to hell and back, several times, if not more, throughout that hour,” Bobridge said.

“It’s something I’m willing to do to make steps in improving myself and trying to become one of the best track endurance athletes from Australia, if not around the world.

“And if you didn’t go to hell and back in an hour, there’s something wrong.”

Popular German rider Jens Voigt broke the hour record in September to end his career.

A few weeks later, Austrian Matthias Brandle raised the world mark to 51.852km.

Fellow Australian time trial specialist Rohan Dennis also announced on Wednesday night (AEDT) that he would try to break the world record in February at a Swiss track.

British cycling legend Sir Bradley Wiggins and compatriot Alex Dowsett are also set to make attempts next year.

Bobridge is unwilling to publicly state what his goal distance is, but has made it clear he wants to smash Brandle’s mark.

“It’s great to see such great time triallers having a go at it,” Bobridge said.

“Maybe I will change their minds after they see what I can do.

“I want to take a good chunk out of it and set a really stepping stone for the other guys to … have to fight for it.”

The highlight of Bobridge’s career so far has been his stunning ride to break the 4km individual pursuit world record.

No one thought Chris Boardman’s longstanding mark would fall, but Bobridge reduced it to four minutes, 10 seconds.

His hour attempt will happen nearly four years to the day since the pursuit record.

Bobridge and his coach Tim Decker hope the hour record will prove a stepping stone to winning team pursuit gold at the Rio Olympics.

“If you were to hold all those three titles (the pursuit and hour world records and the Olympic team pursuit gold), it would be pretty hard … to say you’re not the best male track endurance rider of your generation,” Decker said.

The prospect of Bobridge and Wiggins battling for the hour world record will add to the intense rivalry between the Australian and British pursuiters.

“There’s always been a little bit of rivalry between us and Great Britain … just a little bit,” Bobridge said.

– AAP

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