Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news
Riding
Chris Hopkinson breaks NINE world records – in 24 hoursChris Hopkinson (via Facebook).jpg

Chris Hopkinson breaks NINE world records – in 24 hours

Darlington rider rewrites the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association's record books...
by Simon_MacMichael
Sun, Oct 01, 2017 17:43
15

British ultracyclist Chris Hopkinson has broken nine world records in just 24 hours.

All of the records fell into the 50-59 age group category of outdoor track records ratified by the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association.

Hopkinson, the first British rider to complete the Race Across America solo – he’s finished it on three other occasions since – undertook his record-breaking ride at the velodrome at Quibell Park in Scunthorpe.

He’d been aiming to set 11 world records, but a torn bicep around 19 hours in meant he was unable to complete the 500 miles and 24 hours records he had been aiming for to complete the set of 11.

We’ll have more on this story tomorrow, but in the meantime, here are the nine existing records that he broke.

100 kilometres (3 hours, 53 seconds)

100 miles (4 hours, 36 minutes, 25 seconds)

200 kilometres (six hours, 11 minutes, 7 seconds)

120.77 miles (6 hours)

200 miles (9 hours, 30 minutes, 22 seconds)

300 kilometres (9 hours, 24 minutes, 53 seconds)

300 miles (15 hours, 37 minutes, 53 seconds)

248.285 miles (12 hours)

500 kilometres (16 hours, 13 minutes, 8 seconds).

Chris Hopkinson
UMCA
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

15 comments

Avatar
Gkam84 | 7 years ago
2 likes

Having worked with Chris on a number of occasions, it doesn't surprise me that he can do this 

I notice you didn't cover my friend Elena Novikova's record recently though. Here is her rundown of records.

Avatar
scannings | 7 years ago
1 like

As one of the official timekeepers who was there for the whole attempt perhaps I can clarify a couple of things.

The bicep injury was really as a consequence of riding in the TT position for so long and probably exacerbated by the pretty unpleasant night he rode through. The rain that fell late afternoon requiring him to constantly correct the bike as it tried to slide from under him on the wet banking was pretty much the final straw on that.

If a 21mph average for 3 hours seems pretty achievable then bear in mind he had to continue riding for another 21 hours after that. Averaging over 18mph for  24 hour ride is not something I'd ever fancy having a crack at 

 

I'd never met Chris before Friday and had no prior knowedge of his riding history other than what I've previously read on the web etc. I have to say few things I've seen have impressed me quite as much as how he rode on Friday through to Saturday evening - it really was quite a special thing to witness.

Avatar
arrieredupeleton | 7 years ago
0 likes

A torn bicep?! How do you manage that? 

 

Avatar
rct | 7 years ago
1 like

UCI rainbow stripes?

Avatar
Gkam84 replied to rct | 7 years ago
1 like

rct wrote:

UCI rainbow stripes?

Not UCI, but UMCA, world 24hr TT champion.

Avatar
JohnnyRemo | 7 years ago
3 likes

Long way off existing CTT/VTTA records - strange report...

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds replied to JohnnyRemo | 7 years ago
5 likes

JohnnyRemo wrote:

Long way off existing CTT/VTTA records - strange report...

Guinness and other 'modern' organisations aren't interested in absolute records, just ones that they support or set the rules for and participants register with them.

just look at the BS surrounding how Kurt seorvogel and amanda Croker were able to ride recumbents, KS even being transported back to a certain point each time so he could have 1 feet of rise per mile and prevailing winds.

Guinness ignoring Tommy Godwin's 7 day and monthly totals, franky it's all a nonsense now and really couldn't care less as the integrity behind breaking records has gone for me.

Avatar
simonmb | 7 years ago
0 likes

He looks happy enough anyway.

Avatar
beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
0 likes

must be 100 kilometres in 2 hours, 53 seconds - I can do 100k in 4 hours in zone 2 - also, if you multiply by 4 it would be 16 hours for 400k, assuming the pace was constant - no way would he have done 500k in just over 16 hours if his 100k pace was that slow

Avatar
aegisdesign replied to beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
2 likes

beezus fufoon wrote:

must be 100 kilometres in 2 hours, 53 seconds - I can do 100k in 4 hours in zone 2 - also, if you multiply by 4 it would be 16 hours for 400k, assuming the pace was constant - no way would he have done 500k in just over 16 hours if his 100k pace was that slow

No. The record is 3 hours, 0 minutes and 53 seconds. which is 33.16km/h https://www.ultracycling.com/record/walter-poll-outdoor-track100-km-2/

road.cc were quoting the records he was attempting to beat not the times he's achieved.

 

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to aegisdesign | 7 years ago
0 likes

aegisdesign wrote:

beezus fufoon wrote:

must be 100 kilometres in 2 hours, 53 seconds - I can do 100k in 4 hours in zone 2 - also, if you multiply by 4 it would be 16 hours for 400k, assuming the pace was constant - no way would he have done 500k in just over 16 hours if his 100k pace was that slow

No. The record is 3 hours, 0 minutes and 53 seconds. which is 33.16km/h https://www.ultracycling.com/record/walter-poll-outdoor-track100-km-2/

road.cc were quoting the records he was attempting to beat not the times he's achieved.

 

ah I see now - thanks

Avatar
madcarew replied to beezus fufoon | 7 years ago
1 like

beezus fufoon wrote:

must be 100 kilometres in 2 hours, 53 seconds - I can do 100k in 4 hours in zone 2 - also, if you multiply by 4 it would be 16 hours for 400k, assuming the pace was constant - no way would he have done 500k in just over 16 hours if his 100k pace was that slow

If you can do 100km in 2 hours 53 seconds (av 31mph) Sky would like to hear from you. 3 hrs 53 seconds is an entirely likely 21 mph av, slightly up on his 500km average of 19.6 mph...

Avatar
beezus fufoon replied to madcarew | 7 years ago
0 likes

madcarew wrote:

beezus fufoon wrote:

must be 100 kilometres in 2 hours, 53 seconds - I can do 100k in 4 hours in zone 2 - also, if you multiply by 4 it would be 16 hours for 400k, assuming the pace was constant - no way would he have done 500k in just over 16 hours if his 100k pace was that slow

If you can do 100km in 2 hours 53 seconds (av 31mph) Sky would like to hear from you. 3 hrs 53 seconds is an entirely likely 21 mph av, slightly up on his 500km average of 19.6 mph...

yeah, 21 mph avg for 3 hours sounded entirely likely to me, which I why I questioned it in the first place - a few more years I might have a bash at that one myself.

Avatar
ChrisB200SX replied to madcarew | 7 years ago
0 likes

madcarew wrote:

beezus fufoon wrote:

must be 100 kilometres in 2 hours, 53 seconds - I can do 100k in 4 hours in zone 2 - also, if you multiply by 4 it would be 16 hours for 400k, assuming the pace was constant - no way would he have done 500k in just over 16 hours if his 100k pace was that slow

If you can do 100km in 2 hours 53 seconds (av 31mph) Sky would like to hear from you. 3 hrs 53 seconds is an entirely likely 21 mph av, slightly up on his 500km average of 19.6 mph...

It's the records he was trying to beat, not the times he set. 2h 53min seems reasonable.

Avatar
Sven Van Anders | 7 years ago
1 like

Doesn't seem correct to me. Have another go.

Latest Comments