2012 Olympian and five-time UCI Road World Championships medallist Evelyn Stevens (USA) will attempt to break the Women’s UCI Hour Record on February 27th.
The rider from the Boels Dolmans Cycling Team will attack the record at midday MST (8pm CET) at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Velodrome. The 333.3-metre banked cement track sits at just over 6,000 feet above sea level and is covered by a newly-constructed winter dome.
Stevens will attempt to beat the current record of 46.882km set by Bridie O’Donnell (AUS) on January 22nd 2016 in Adelaide, Australia.
“While attempting to break the UCI Hour Record is exciting for me and my career, I’m also proud to help shine a light on women’s cycling,” Stevens said. “This will be a special day, and it’s an honour to make my record attempt under the new dome at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Velodrome.”
Stevens, a road cyclist, will be the first American to attempt the record since Molly Shaffer Van Houweling set the record of 46.273km on September 12th 2015 in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
In May 2014, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) modernised and simplified the rules regarding the UCI Hour Record; the record can now be tackled using any bicycle that conforms to the rules defining the characteristics of the bicycles used in endurance track events. Following the rule change, eight men have challenged the record, with Bradley Wiggins setting the current bar of 54.526km. In addition to Bridie O’Donnell and Molly Shaffer Van Houweling, Sarah Storey also had a go at the women’s record.
UCI President Brian Cookson welcomed the news of the latest attempt: “The current Women’s UCI Hour Record will be only five weeks old when Evelyn Stevens tries to establish a new mark. Bridie O’Donnell set a tough mark last month and I am looking forward tremendously to following this next challenge. It is clear that the excitement surrounding the iconic UCI Hour Record will be just as high in 2016 as it was last year when we saw six attempts on the men’s record and two on the women’s record.”
“We are thrilled that Evie is attempting to break this very prestigious record here in the United States in front of an international audience,” said USA Cycling CEO Derek Bouchard-Hall. “Having one of our top American athletes chase history under our new Olympic Training Center Velodome will be very special. We are grateful to the U.S. Olympic Committee for making this event possible with the recent dome and in helping us host this event later this month.”
Fans can watch the UCI Hour Record attempt live across the globe via a free livestream. Details will be posted at usacycling.org and uci.ch.
About Evelyn Stevens Raised in Acton, Massachusetts, Evelyn (Evie) excelled in a variety of sports while growing up before opting for tennis at Dartmouth College (New Hampshire), where she was studying government with a minor in women’s and gender studies.
She attended her first bike clinic in New York’s Central Park in 2008 while working in investment banking. She soon won her first professional race, and a year later embarked on a career as a professional cyclist. An Olympian at London 2012, Evie is now focused on winning a UCI Road World Championships and bringing home Olympic Gold from Rio in 2016. More information on Evelyn Stevens.
About the UCI The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the world governing body for cycling recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The UCI’s mission is to develop and promote cycling as a competitive sport, as a healthy recreational activity or as a means of transport. The UCI governs the eight disciplines of the sport of cycling: road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX, trials, indoor and para. Four of them are represented at the Olympic Games (road, track, mountain bike and BMX), two at the Paralympic Games (road, track) and three at the Youth Olympic Games (road, mountain bike and BMX). Additionally the UCI promotes a number of its own events, including the UCI Road World Championships, an iconic annual event, and a wide range of other UCI World Championships and World Cups across the various disciplines.
About USA Cycling Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including BMX, cyclo-cross, mountain bike, road and track. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling comprises 64,000 members; 3,000+ clubs and teams; and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions over 2,600 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit usacycling.org.