Michael Teuber will perform an attempt for the UCI Hour Record in Berlin
5-time Paralympic Champion Michael Teuber of Germany will perform an attempt for the UCI Hour Record during the Track Cycling World Cup in Berlin´s Velodrome from 30th November to 2nd December. Teuber´s attempt will be one of the highlights of the first day of competitions. „I am proud to be the first rider who makes an Hour Record attempt during a World Cup. I am happy to get this platform for a Para-Cycling event and I hope to motivate other riders to try as well“ says the 50-year old, who is recently preparing the attempt in special units on Augsburg´s velodrome.
Teuber himself holds the record in his C1 class since 8th May 2005, when he realized 39,326 kilometers. „Back then, I was perfectly satisfied with the performance, but now, I want to break the 40-kilometer mark at least. In fact, I will chose a harder gearing and my timeline will target 41 Kilometers or more.“ says the 10-time World Champion in the Road Time Trial. "The actual equipment makes a huge difference and I know, that my form is now better than in my thirties."
Compared to other Paracycling classes, there are the Hour Records from Colin Lynch (IRL) with 43,133 kilometers in 2016 in the less disabled C2 class and Darren Kenny (GBR) with 41,817 kilometers in 2005 in the C3 class. This are marks, also Teuber has in mind, he remarked.
Even if Teuber is the only male German Paralympic Track Champion in history (he won Gold in the pursuit in Athens 2004), he focused totally on the Road Time Trial since 2012, what payed off in a total of 4 Paralympic Golds on the road. „I am a guy, who never rests and I love challenges. This year, my special challenge will be the Hour Record“ says Teuber, who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, 5.900m and Mt. Chimborazo, 6.300m as first person with a major disability. „I think, I can take advantage of my extensive Road Time Trial training“ added Teuber, who trained 17.000 kilometers so far in 2018.
After a car crash in 1987 with fractures of lumber vertebras, Michael Teuber is semi-paraplegic and can now only walk and ride with orthopedic braces on both feet. 2 years after the accident, he started cycling as a rehab, in 1996, he was a competitor in the UCI World Downhill Championships and since 1998, he is competing in Para-Cycling.
Now, 31 years after his accident and 13 years after his first attempt, he wants to improve the Hour Record significally on Berlin´s Velodrome.
„We are happy, that we managed in cooperatioin with the Senate of Berlin to integrate Michael Teuber´s Hour Record Attempt into the programme of the Track World Cup. This is a strong sign for inclusion and a signal for further considerations to projects of this kind in Berlin.“ says Martin Wolf, General Secretary of the German Cycling Federation BDR.
The Hour Record Attempt of Michael Teuber within the framework of the Track World Cup in Berlin´s Velodrome will take place on Friday, 30th November, from 15:15 to 15:45 o´clock.
