Friday 19 December 2014 12:55, UK
Commonwealth time-trial champion Alex Dowsett will attempt to break the world hour record at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London on February 27.
The 26-year-old will be the fifth rider, and first from England, to attack the record since new rules governing permitted equipment were introduced last May.
His attempt will come on the opening day of round five of the Revolution Series and just 24 hours before Dame Sarah Storey bids to break the women’s hour record.
The current men’s record of 51.852km was set by Austria’s Matthias Brandle in October, but Australian duo Jack Bobridge and Rohan Dennis – both time-trial specialists – will make attempts on January 31 and February 8 respectively and both are expected to go further.
Dowsett is a three-time British time-trial champion and will use his record attempt to raise awareness of haemophilia, a rare blood disorder from which he suffers.
"The Hour is something I have always been interested in," he said. "The simplicity of it, mostly: no tactics, no hiding, just you and the bike.
"Now I have got a new sense of drive as I know that the more success I can achieve, the more hope it will give everyone in the whole rare disease community.
"We spend our childhoods being told what we can't do, so I'm going for the record for anyone that gets told what they can't do and goes out to prove themselves otherwise. I'm training a hell of a lot harder because of it."
Dowsett's attempt is being billed as "The Perfect Hour" and will be backed by his team on the road, Movistar.
Team manager Eusebio Unzue said: "The marks that two track riders, big time-triallists like Bobridge and Rohan Dennis will set will make it really difficult for us, but I hope this will become a further drive for Alex to tackle it."
Sir Bradley Wiggins is expected to make an attempt on the record in the summer.
