Matt Richardson, Charlie Tanfield and Will Bjergfelt will attempt to each set a new world record on Thursday 14th August 2025 at the Konya Velodrome in Türkiye.
The record attempts that will take place include:
Matt Richardson, Men Elite 200m flying start
Charlie Tanfield, Men Elite UCI Hour Record presented by Tissot
Will Bjergfelt, Men C5 UCI Hour Record presented by Tissot
Having changed nationality to British in August 2024, Matt Richardson has his sights set on not only setting a new world record in the Men Elite 200m flying start, but also on being the first man to complete the feat in under nine seconds, which would make him the fastest track sprinter ever and cement his place in the history books. The current world record of 9.088 seconds, that Richardson will be looking to topple, was set by Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen at last summer’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Pursuit specialist Charlie Tanfield will be taking on the Men Elite UCI Hour Record presented by Tissot which has been held by Italy’s Filippo Ganna since October 2022 to try and go as far as possible in the space of an hour. Tanfield’s successes to date include a team pursuit silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as well as world and European titles in the same event.
Paralympic cyclist Will Bjergfelt will round out the attempts as he aims to take the Men’s C5 UCI Hour Record presented by Tissot on the same day in Türkiye. The greatest distance covered in 60 minutes by a C5 para-cyclist is currently 47.569 km, set by Italy’s Andrea Tarlao in December 2014.
Having found para-cycling following a car crash that left him with life-changing injuries, Bjergfelt has continued to defy the odds, establishing himself as a successful rider across both track and road. He has amassed 10 international medals across UCI World Cup events and UCI World Championships, the pinnacle being his C5 road race UCI world title in 2023.
Performance Director for the Great Britain Cycling Team, Stephen Park CBE said: “For many athletes, the first year of a cycle is a time to rest and reset, so to see these three riders take it upon themselves to attempt to break boundaries and take their place in the history books is fantastic to see."
"I want to thank our valued partner Shell and additional partners who have made this project possible. GBCT is proud to support these riders’ ambitions in year one of the cycle and I wish Matt, Charlie and Will the best of luck in this exciting endeavour.”
Speaking to their motivation to make these attempts Matt Richardson said: “Breaking the nine-second barrier would etch my name into the history of the sport. It’s a milestone I’ve been chasing for years, so having the opportunity to go after it now is something truly special. I’m also seeking redemption - coming so close earlier this year on this very track left unfinished business."
“Regardless of the outcome, I know I’ve done everything in my power to prepare. I’m proud of the work I’ve put in, and I’m grateful to be surrounded by an incredible support team who’ve made this pursuit possible.”
Charlie Tanfield said: “I’ve been keen to attempt the [UCI] Hour Record for my whole career. I remember joining the GB programme when Sir Bradley Wiggins held the record and thought ‘wow I’d like to give this a go at some point’. I identified this year after the Games as a time when I’d have the freedom to give it a go and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing."
“I’ve been preparing for this since I started training again after the Games, so there’s been months of training and learning to get to this point. On the day my goal is to execute the perfect ride for my ability, if can do that and put it all together I’ll be happy.”
Will Bjergfelt said: “The [UCI] Hour Record is iconic within cycling and something I have wanted to target for years to become truly engrained within cycling's history. I have been preparing since March for this opportunity and with the full support of the team at British Cycling and GKN Aerospace where I have worked for the past 25 years, this attempt is going to be ultra special for me.”
The attempts will take place throughout the day on Thursday 14th August 2025, and you can follow live progress on the Great Britain Cycling Team’s social media channels, @GBCyclingTeam.
Photo credit SWPix.
