Saturday 23 May 2015 13:47, UK
Sir Bradley Wiggins will attempt to break the historic world hour record at the Lee Valley VeloPark on Sunday June 7, live on Sky Sports.
Wiggins will return to the same arena which saw Team GB win nine medals during the London Olympics in a bid to break the mark set by Rohan Dennis in February this year.
The UCI hour record, which measures the furthest distance a rider can cycle within an hour, is one of sport's most demanding challenges.
In 1873 James Moore covered 23.33km (14.5 miles) to set the first mark, and the hour record has since become a potent symbol of achievement both amongst the cycling elite and enthusiastic amateurs.
The current record, set by Australian Dennis in Switzerland, stands at an incredible 52.4 km (32.5 miles).
Earlier this year his fellow Australian Jack Bobridge had to be carried from his bike after missing the record by a few metres and later described the exertion from his attempt as “the nearest I will come to death without dying”.
Tickets will go on sale later this week, while a parallel campaign will encourage members of the public to get involved by taking part in their own one hour cycle ride.
“The hour record is a holy grail for cyclists,” said Wiggins.
“It’s been fought over tooth and nail by the greatest names in our sport for over a hundred years and it’s time for me to have a crack at it.
“I hope this is a challenge that inspires people: Why not get your bike out of the shed and see how far you can go in an hour?”
Britain’s first Tour de France winner will be supported by Sky in his bid to break the record as part of the company’s continued commitment to cycling.
Robert Tansey Brand Director for Sky said: "We're delighted to continue our support of Bradley having already been part of such a successful career. Sky will be the only place to watch his attempt on the Hour Record, and we hope it will inspire even more people to get out on their bikes."
