“If I stick to my lap times, I’ll break the world clock record.” Briton Alex Dowsett is determined he can break the world record in the hour tomorrow, and record holder Victor Campanaerts gives him a 50 per cent chance.
Victor Campanaerts broke the world hour record in April 2019: covering 55.089 kilometers in one hour at Aguascalientes, Mexico, taking the record from Bradley Wiggins.
Tomorrow Alex Dousset (also in Mexico) will try to steal the record from Campinarts. The Briton was allowed to call himself the world record holder for the hour in 2015 for 36 days, before he was ousted by Wiggins.
“I give him a 50 percent chance of breaking the world watch record,” says Campinarts on his YouTube channel. The 30-year-old record holder sees some benefits for his British rival.
“The technology hasn’t stopped working,” says Campinarts. “Everything has been improved: faster tyres, aerodynamic tyres… The rules have also changed: overtaking is now allowed, which gives a small advantage.”
“It’s a marginal gain, but it’s very important in trying to set a world record.”
The time trial bike that Dowsett will be attacking the record with already looks “state of the art.”
Campinarts: “I won’t try again”
But it’s not just technological progress that is giving Dowsett a boost. “He has the advantage that he’s already set a world record for the hour,” says Campinarts. “He has already done the full preparation once and has experience.”
“I was well prepared, but while you’re at it you figure out things you could do differently. That would give me an edge now, Alex has that advantage now too.”
“In addition, the level of time trials has increased dramatically in recent years. It goes faster and faster every year. Before trying to set a world clock record, I won the time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico and finished second in the time trials in Romandi and the Giro “.
“But between 2019 and now the level has gone up dramatically. I’m now driving faster than then, but I’m far from winning. So Alex’s time trial is definitely better now than he was during his previous record attempt.”
The level of time trials has increased dramatically in recent years. It’s going faster and faster every year.
Campinaarts is very curious about Dowsett’s attempt to set records. “It’s the first big name to try it,” he says. “I’m looking forward to it.” “During my attack, I had everything in my hands, not now. So I’m nervous, but I’m not afraid.”
“I’m giving him a 50 percent chance. Records are made and I’ll be happy if he succeeds. I’ll congratulate him for sure.”
And what if Dawsette succeeds in his intention? Is Campinart still dreaming of a new try? He concludes, “I won’t try again right away.” “My career has changed a bit, my pilot skills have lost my time and I’m going to have a hard time breaking my own record.”
Campenaerts has shifted its focus to the classics. Next season, he will return to the trusted nest of Lotto-Soudal.
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