Bradley Wiggins's 10 Mile TT Attempt and the Beauty of Cycling

Copyright of Road Cycling UK.

The Beast

Later today Bradley Wiggins will attempt to break Alex Dowsett's British Record for the ten mile time trial. Next month Wiggo will attempt to break another Dowsett record, the World Hour Record. So this is essentially Wiggins vs. Dowsett round one.


For those who like exacting numbers;

• Dowsett cycled 10 miles (16.093 km) in 17 mins and 20 seconds at some stage last year.
• Dowsett averaged 52.957 km/h for his successful World Hour Record attempt.
• Wiggins is aiming for a sub-17 minute TT time.
• Wiggins is also looking to average over 55 km/h in the Hour Record.

The knight of the realm previously held the ten mile TT record. But that was nine years ago in 2006. With the advent of wind tunnel tested technology, the Time Trial discipline has evolved greatly in the intervening years. He'll be rocking his British TT Champion liveried Pinarello Bolide, with Pro engineered rims and Shimano Di2. The highlights on his person will be the Rapha skinsuit of the World TT Champion and a Kask Bambino. The only piece of equipment that is in question is the shape of the chainring he'll employ. 56 tooth Shimano Dura-Ace round, or the Osymeteric oval which failed him once in the past.


Interesting to note that wind tunnel developed bikes were pioneered (read: demanded) by cycling's resident Texan anti-hero. I guess this strong willed, single testicled guy wasn't all bad. But then again, Hitler did get 0% unemployment. I refuse to use his name in a web page, as I'm not one of the publications that Cosmo Catalano derides for such SEO.

Copyright of ethz.ch.

The Beauty

For the longest time people have been talking about "the beauty of cycling". In very few other sport can you get this spectacle-ruiningly close to the athletes. Likewise, not many other sports can you play in the amphitheatre of your heroes. But with cycling you can ride a fixie beside the Peloton, you can use a massive zoom lens to get a macro shot of a Sprinter. You can also cycle up the Stelvio, Zoncolon, Vontoux, Alpe D'Heuz and many other storied, moon surfaced ascents. The football equilivant is like trying to slide tackle Messi as he takes a Champions League winning shot in the Camp Nao.


Sir Bradley Wiggins rocking up to a club event in Hull. The reigning World, British and Olympic Time Trial Champion competing against beer bellies, clip on aero bars and box section 32 spoke rims for £50 with traffic zooming past. This is a different kinda of beauty. This is Emma Watson beauty, to the previously described Kate Upton glamour. Rolling out the football analogy again, this is Mesut Özil turning up to a 5-a-side astro game on some Shetland Island.


Best of luck Bradley, as you ride the out-and-back course into your twilight years of shelved records.