Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Sharp) is the latest rider to attempt to break the Hour Record. He has announced that he will make his attempt in the spring, and therefore won’t be racing on the road in the opening months of the season, as he concentrates all his efforts for his Hour attempt.
The Hour Record has had a new lease of life with Jens Voigt and Matthias Brandle both breaking the record recently, and Bradley Wiggins expressing an interest also. Dekker would have to surpass Brandle’s distance of 51.850 kilometres.
Dekker said, “It will be one of the hardest trials of my life, but that does not matter to me. I’m not afraid of it. I will put everything aside in the next few months. I’m going to put everything I have into that one hour. Am I going to make it? Yes, of course I’m going to make it.”
The Garmin team told Dekker that they wouldn’t be renewing his contract, and the Dutchman felt that he needed something to aim for to keep focused.
He said, “It could be my last performance. Maybe I’ll stop with the world record in my pocket, I might continue. In the coming months I am only concerned with that one day, and that one day alone.”
