On Saturday 12^th May Chris Hoy the current sea-level world kilometre record holder, and reigning kilometre Olympic and Commonwealth Champion will attempt to set a new world record in the kilometre time trial. He will undertake this challenge in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, the highest city in the world.

The kilometre time trial is one of the most painful of all track events. It requires the rider to have a dynamite start, overwhelming speed, super strength and stamina.  Every part of the race is crucial, the start must be explosive, time lost coming out of the start means time is lost at the other end.  If the rider goes out too quickly or if they compensate for lost time during the race they can go into an oxygen debt. The race is demanding at sea level nevertheless Chris Hoy will embark on breaking the Absolute World Record for the Kilo at 3,408 metres above sea level. 

The Alto Irpavo Velodrome is the highest sporting arena in the world. Competing in such conditions may pose significant health risks.  Chris has not experienced such an altitude before. The air of La Paz contains 67% of the oxygen present at sea level.  Loss of consciousness is a possibility and the build up of lactic acid in his legs will create excruciating pain, this will be at its greatest as Chris crosses the line and safety precautions will be taken.  An oxygen tent will be available in case of an emergency and an oxygen mask will be awaiting Chris when he crosses the finish line. In 2001 Arnaud Tournant of France who set a record time of 58.875 seconds at this same velodrome, passed out after completing the race and gained consciousness 20 minutes later.

To acclimatise himself to the conditions of La Paz, Chris and Scott Gardner, a sport scientist from the English Institute of Sport supervising Hoy’s preparation, visited Bisham Abbey, the UK Sport Centre of Excellence on April 28 to train in the facility’s hyperbaric chamber.  It was set up to the exact conditions expected in La Paz.

Chris spent two hours testing his warm-up procedure and completed a couple of maximal efforts.  On the 1^st May Chris flew to Florida to set up camp at Fort Lauderdale. Chris will complete his preparations for the race here which is the same time zone as Bolivia and will then fly into South America on 11^th May.  As a sprint athlete you don’t want to be affected by the altitude, therefore Hoy will arrive at the last possible minute before the race.

La Paz will be Hoy’s final farewell to the kilometre time trial which has helped shape his sporting life.  His decision follows the news of cycling’s international governing body, the UCI, announcement to drop the men’s kilometre time trail and women’s 500m time trial from the track cycling program at the Olympics Games.  The move makes room in the Olympic program for BMX, which will be introduced at the 2008 Games in Beijing.

The record attempt has ignited the imagination of the Bolivians, who do not often see world class athletes competing in their country.  The event will be broadcast live on Bolivian television and by the BBC and Eurosport in the UK. 

Michelle Lowe

Track World Records Historical

1km Standing Start

1’02”091 Maik Malchow (RDA)    28.08.1986 Colorado Springs (USA)

1’01”945 Jose Antonio Escuredo (ESP)    15.09.1995 Quito (ECU)

1’00”613 Shane Kelly (AUS)        26.09.1995 Bogota (COL)

1’00”148 Arnaud Tournant (FRA) 16.06.2000 Mexico (MEX)

Absolute Record

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