Teuber smashes C1 Hour Record

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Some 13 years after setting the C1 Hour Record, German paracyclist Michael Teuber smashed his benchmark by over three kilometres to set a new record for the C1 class.

Teuber set his original record of 39.326km in May 2005 at the Augsburg velodrome near Munich. He made his new attempt on the opening day of action at the third round of the World Cup in Berlin, midway through the opening session, and soared past the 40km mark to set a new benchmark of 42.583km. Teuber said afterwards that he had paced himself well enough to speed up in the latter stages of the effort.

"Of course, I'm overjoyed I was able to pace myself throughout the race and could accelerate slightly in the last 10 minutes," said Teuber. "It was also a sign of inclusion. I am very grateful to be able to make this attempt here in Berlin at the UCI World Cup."

The 50-year-old Teuber was left semi-paralysed as a result of a car accident at the age of 19, in 1987, and spent three years in a wheelchair afterwards. He began cycling in 1998 and has since won five Olympic gold medals and two world titles – most of which have come in time trial events. He is able to walk with the help of orthopaedic splits and in 2010, he climbed up Mt Kilimanjaro.

Teuber’s ride was the first time that a UCI-approved paracycling event has been held in conjunction with an able-bodied event. The next round in London in two weeks’ time will also feature a paracycling programme. The past two editions of the Commonwealth Games have run a combined track programme.

"Congratulations to Michael, who has produced a fantastic performance in breaking through the 40-kilometre barrier," said UCI president David Lappartient. "Two years on from Colin Lynch in the C3 class, he has provided another demonstration of the renewed popularity that the UCI Hour Record timed by Tissot has enjoyed since we updated our Regulations. I am delighted with his display, not least because it came at our Track Cycling World Cup event, bringing him even more visibility and some very special recognition."