With news that Cancellara is having a go at the hour record and also that Obree dumps his hour record plans it seemed a good time to watch 'The Impossible Hour', another Jorgen Leth production. I was quite struck by one of the opening gambits on how Ritter's record attempt bike weighed just 5.45kg, employed the "most advanced alloys" and "the proportions between handlebar and saddle... divulge somewhat from the normal". Heck, he even had some prototype clipless pedals. This was seriously cutting edge and 5.45kg is still insanely light for a bike (UCI weight limit is even now 6.8kg), so at what point did the UCI decide this era of technology is what defines the 'Athlete's Hour', which is what Cancellara will have a go at? As much as I love the aesthetics of this era of cycle sport I also love the cutting edge and it does seem a shame we're denied it now thanks to the UCI beurocrats. A great film for training on the turbo irrespective- Ritter had a seriously smooth pedalling style.
I wonder to what extent the UCIs discord and even persecution of Obree and his unusual and unorthodox positions have contributed to the division of the hour record into the UCI and the best human effort. Ironic of course that the UCI record is incredibly unlikely to ever be considered the best human effort. Of course, a further irony would be that Merckx, I assume, used the best available equipment. In essence then, the current day UCI are taking a luddite-esque anti-progress stance, possibly just for the sake of a vendetta between a small group of people. What's next? Banning radio technology in the Tou... Oh. Bugger.
ReplyDeleteYeah this is kind of my point- the UCI seems to think that in some way back in the Merckx era there was a level playing field and that position is what a cyclist should have, but the quote about the distance between saddle and bars proves that they were thinking about aerodynamics in the 70's, they just hadn't come up with superman bars yet. Who knows what the real conversations were behind closed doors around the time of Obree.
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