The American athlete today broke the 12-year-old women’s UCI Hour Record by covering a distance of46.274 km at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Van Houweling, 41, rode 209 metres further than the previous mark of 46.065km, established in 2003 byDutch rider Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel in Mexico City.
The California based rider already held the women’s US Hour Record (45.637km), which she set lastFebruary, also in Aguascalientes. In addition, she is a five-time UCI Amateur Road World Champion, mostrecently winning the road race and time trial titles at the 2014 UCI World Cycling Tour Final in Ljubljana,Slovenia.
Van Houweling’s UCI Hour Record comes 60 years after the first mark (38.473km) was set by Soviet athleteTamara Novikova in 1955. The American is the second female rider – after Briton Dame Sarah Storey – togo after cycling’s iconic record since its rules changed in May 2014.
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) modernised and simplified the regulations for the record last yearby authorising the use of bikes that comply with the regulations for endurance track events.
The new rules have led to an upsurge in interest in the record by riders, with several attempts on the men'sUCI Hour Record over recent months before Van Houweling’s perfect hour today in Mexico.
After the attempt, Van Houweling said: "You never know if everything is going to come together on raceday. Everyday this week I was thinking, ‘Am I going to be 100 percent? Does my knee hurt? Am I getting thesniffles? Is it too hot? Or too cold?’ I feel fortunate that everything came together today and that I felt incontrol. I am relieved that everything came together and thankful for everyone that helped me make this –and this live feed – happen."
UCI President Brian Cookson commented: "Molly's performance is splendid. It is a blessing for all thosewho wanted the rebirth of the UCI Hour Record. This will also remain as a milestone in American cyclinghistory. Less than one week from the kick-off of the UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia,Molly’s performance shows how vibrant our sport is in this part of the world."
For more information, contact:
Louis Chenaille
UCI Press Officer
+41 79 198 7047
louis.chenaille@uci.ch
John Zerafa
VERO Communications
+44 7813 814 816
jzerafa@verocom.co.uk
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