Watching the Jensie set a “new” record was somehow not-that-interesting and riveting at the same time. One guy going around the track for an hour; only cycling aficionados could find it so compelling. The thing I can’t get out of my mind is Eddy Merckx still did 49.43 km/hr with toe clips, spoked, box section wheels and a hairnet helmet on a track bike. That is a Man.

Eddy recently said if he had Chris Boardman’s plastic helmet, shoe covers and clip-in pedals he would have gone over 50 km/hr. As much as I liked the UCI Hour Record, it was already corrupted by that difference. If you want to see how you stack up to Merckx, you better find a hairnet helmet and toe clip pedals. I’d watch that.

Chapeau to Jens for kicking off what we can only hope is a rebirth in this great event. It is doubtful his time will stand for too long but he had the heart to jump on the track and see what he was made of, like Eddy did before him.