Flying Scotsman to go for World Hour record again
Cycling Plus, the UK’s leading road cycling magazine has got the exclusive scoop from cycling legend Graeme Obree in which he reveals his comeback plans, and his quest to go for the World Hour record for the third time.
Graeme Obree has certainly put cycling on the map, the first ‘Flying Scotsman’ (Chris Hoy as the second ‘fat’ one, Obree as the ‘skinny’ one) was the World Champion Individual Pursuit for 4000m in 1993 and 1995, and set the World Hour record in 1993 and 1994.
Obree took to the track in 1993 on a bike known as Old Faithful that he’d designed and built himself, and only the day after a failed attempt, he rode 51.596km in an hour on the velodrome at Hamar in Norway. Adopting the now infamous ‘Superman’ tucked riding position, he set the bar for a new generation of cyclists, with Chris Boardman following hot on his heels. And now fifteen years later, he’s set to try the same record again.
Speaking to Cycling Plus Editor Rob Spedding, Obree said “I don’t think that you’re physically hampered from winning at the highest level just because of age. To diminish yourself just in terms of age isn’t justified. I don’t think you can use it as an excuse, not if you’ve kept it going. I’m not saying that I will break the Hour record, but I am aspiring to do it. You know, last year was the first year since I was 16 that I didn’t win a race.”
Following on from a good winter of riding and with another self-built bike, he’s planning to train hard on his bike over the next few months working both on the turbo trainer and the road. Unlike many of modern professional cyclists, Obree takes a refreshingly low-tech approach – no power meters, computers, sports scientists, coaches or training partners.
Rob Spedding, Editor of Cycling Plus said:
“There’s simply no argument, Graeme Obree is a British cycling legend. He broke world records, won World Championships and pushed the boundaries of bike design on his own terms. Cycling fans loved him for his achievements, and that affection only increased when his autobiography, The Flying Scotsman, revealed his battles with depression. Nearly 20-years on Graeme is still revered by Cycling Plus readers, is a brilliant interviewee and, even better, still riding fast!”
Talking about the revival of cycling following on from the success of the Olympics in particular, Obree said “I was totally into the Olympics, it was just wow, this is so good for cycling. For so long it was seen as second rate, a Cinderella sport. Who’d thought 10 years ago that when talk is of British sporting success they’d show clips of cyclists. In the Nineties it was just drugs, how we never win. Jeez, it’s never been this good.”
Issue 224 of Cycling Plus is on sale now, priced at £3.99. The magazine also features F1 star Mark Webber’s sportive route, super-fast bikes tested for the summer, as well as the best British cycling routes and health and fitness advice. There is also a preview to the Tour de France, including an hilarious race guide by Tim Moore, best-selling author of French Revolutions, Do Not Pass Go and Nul Points.
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