Thomas Dekker to attempt Hour Record

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Thomas Dekker has announced plans to tackle the Hour Record next spring. Currently held by Mattias Brändle, who recently broke Jens Voigt's record with a ride of 51.850 kilometres, Dekker announced the plans in an interview with Algemeen Dagblad. The news comes as it emerged that Garmin-Sharp would not be extending Dekker's contract for 2015, leaving the Dutch rider without a WorldTour team for the first time since his return from a two-year ban for doping.

Dekker has struggled to land major results since his return from his ban. Garmin-Sharp team manager Jonathan Vaughters gave the one-time Rabobank and Silence-Lotto rider a second chance in 2011 after putting the rider through his paces with a series of stringent physiological tests. Dekker had the ambition of riding the Tour de France in Garmin colours but that opportunity never materalised and despite being a solid domestique he has fallen down the pecking order at the team. Following the merger between Cannondale and Garmin-Sharp, spaces were at a premium on the team and the 30-year-old Dutchman was unable to secure a place.

Dekker said that he decided to attack the Hour Record on the day Garmin-Sharp broke the contract news to him.

“We want to invite companies to join in and participate in the record attempt. The hour record is also combat for the best equipment. How do we give him the fastest bike? Which position is the most aerodynamic? Which helmet? Which paint? Which wheels? What is the fastest velodrome in the world? He is not attached to a team, a bicycle brand or a sponsor, so we are open to all ideas,” Dekker’s agent, Martijn Berkhout, told the newspaper.