Hourly world record: Filippo Ganna pulverises old record

A racing machine costing 60,000 euros, a precisely fitting aerodynamic racing suit and a velodrome heated to 28 degrees: Filippo Ganna left nothing to chance when he set his almost unbelievable one-hour world record.

The world hour record bike Pinarello Bolide F HR 3D by Filippo Ganna

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  Here you can find more information about the Ganna time trial bike

Ganna pulverises Bigham's hourly world record

In the end, the two-time time trial world champion clocked 56.792 kilometres in Grenchen, Switzerland, on Saturday evening, putting him the old record set by Briton Dan Bigham (55.548) virtually pulverised.

But "Top Ganna", as the Italian is known, has by no means had enough of his speed rush. "Next time I'll try it at a different time of the season when my legs are fresher," said Ganna, who "suffered" but was "happy" at the end to have completed "one of the toughest challenges in the world". Next time, he wants to cover more than 57 kilometres.

Big names break the hourly world record

On 11 May 1893, when Henri Desgrange set the first hour world record in Paris with 35.325 kilometres, hardly anyone would have thought it possible that this mark would one day be reached. It went on and on from there: Eddy Merckx, Francesco Moser and Miguel Indurain, among others, improved the record. In addition, the world federation repeatedly adjusted the rules. But no one has ever managed 56.792 kilometres.

The history of the world hour record

• 08.10.2022: Filippo Ganna (ITA), Tissot Velodrome Suisse, Grenchen (SUI), 56,792
• 19.08.2022: Dan Bigham (GBR), Tissot Velodrome, Grenchen (SUI), 55.548 km
• 16.04.2019: Victor Campenaerts (BEL), Velodromo Bicentenario, Aguascalientes (MEX), 55.089 km
• 07.06.2015: Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Lee Valley VeloPark, London (GBR), 54.526 km
• 02.05.2015: Alex Dowsett (GBR), National Cycling Centre, Manchester (GBR), 52.937 km
• 08.02.2015: Rohan Dennis (AUS), Velodrome Suisse, Grenchen (SUI), 52.491 km
• 30.10.2014: Matthias Brändle (AUT), UCI World Cycling Centre, Aigle (SUI), 51.852 km
• 18.09.2014: Jens Voigt (GER), Velodrome Suisse, Grenchen (SUI), 51.110 km
  

Ganna's success was no coincidence. The 26-year-old is one of the best time trialists in the world. The Italian won the title in this discipline in 2020 and 2021 and has won numerous stages against the clock in several tours in recent years. He has also become world champion in the single pursuit four times on the track. Number five is set to follow next week at the World Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.

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