Thursday, March 28, 2024

Vittoria Bussi – on Breaking the World Hour Record in 2018

-

HomeInterviewsVittoria Bussi - on Breaking the World Hour Record in 2018

The world hour record, the stuff of legend, ‘the blue riband’ of cycling records.

We all know that Belgium’s Victor Campenaerts is current men’s record holder with 55.089km.

But who holds the women’s record? British cyclist Joss Lowden took the record a few weeks ago, covering a distance of 48.405km at the Grenchen velodrome in Switzerland. The 33-year-old added nearly 400 metres to the previous mark of 48.007km set by Doctor in Pure Mathematics, Ms. Vittoria Bussi of Italy at altitude on the boards of the Aguascalientes velodrome in Mexico in 2018.

Perhaps it’s not surprising that Bussi’s achievement isn’t as well-known as that of Campenaerts given that the since the UCI ‘unified’ the record in 2014 there have been 19 attempts on the men’s record – with six successful – but just eight by women, with five successes.

We’ll be running an interview with Joss soon but meantime we thought it would good to talk with the previous ‘Woman of the Hour,’ Ms. Bussi about her record, and she recently took time to speak with us here at VeloVeritas.

Was it your background in mathematics which made the Hour with all of those numbers – distance/gearing/watts/rpm – which made it so appealing?

“Actually, no, it was to escape from a bad situation, it was not so much about cycling as to escape from the pain inside of losing my father.

“I felt I had to tackle something really big, for both of us.”

How did the process begin?

“I came late to cycling so I wasn’t good in the peloton, I didn’t have the bike handling skills but people around me told me that I had good power and that I would be suited to the time trial – and the Hour is the ultimate time trial.”

Vittoria Bussi
Vittoria Bussi. Photo©supplied

You went for the record in 2017 at Aguascalientes but failed to set a world record, although you did set an Italian record – who funded the attempt and handled the logistics?

“It was self-funded, I wasn’t well known so there was no belief in me from sponsors so they wouldn’t invest.

“The second, successful trip to Aguascalientes was funded by the Scottish cycling clothing company, Endura.

“As for the logistics, that became my job, I stopped my career in mathematics and worked full time on travel, accommodation, hiring the velodrome, bureaucracy with the UCI – time keepers, commissaires, doping control…”

Vittoria Bussi
Photo©Drag2Zero

Who coached you for the successful attempt?

“Tom Kirk of Custom Cycle Coaching coaching and lifestyle consultancy based in Birmingham, UK was my coach. 

“I met him at Oxford University when I was doing my PhD in pure mathematics there.”

Your position looked very ‘dialled,’ did you spend a lot of time in the wind tunnel?

“Just one session in the wind tunnel but we did a lot of aero testing on the velodrome.” 

Vittoria Bussi
Photo©Endura

Who selected and prepared your machine?

“I did that myself, it was a Giant Liv and I researched the best mix of components for it myself; I studied and tested until I had the best combination for me.” 

And your gear ratio?

“That’s perhaps the most difficult decision of the whole enterprise, it was a last minute decision, even the day before I was asking myself the question:

“How do you know how the gear will feel after 50 minutes?

“Eventually I settled on 59 x 15.” [That’s 106.2” by the British method of classification of gear ratios, ed.]

Vittoria Bussi
Photo©Endura

And Endura supplied the ‘speedsuit?’

“Yes, they collaborated with aero expert Simon Smart at Drag2zero and the result was the D2Z Encapsulator speedsuit and D2Z Aeroswitch helmet.” 

What lessons did you take away from your 2017 failed Hour attempt?

“The main thing was that the position I had was too extreme, it was really aero but I couldn’t maintain power and my breathing just collapsed.

“We went into the wind tunnel after that and as a result raised my handlebars, it wasn’t as aero a position, it was a compromise but it meant I could maintain the power.”

Tell us about your acclimatisation to altitude?

“We obviously have mountains in Italy and I trained there to acclimatise but Mexico was very different with low humidity and very dry air which does not have so much oxygen – that took a bit of getting used to and I had to acclimatise all over again.”

And when you broke the record, you ‘did an Obree’ with an unsuccessful attempt the day before you took the record in 2018?

“There was a lot of pressure on me on that first day, maybe too much?

“I had too much focus and couldn’t enjoy the experience, at 45 minutes I was on the pace but the ‘flow’ just wasn’t there.

“The next day I found the ‘flow’ and the atmospherics were better too.”

Vittoria Bussi
Photo©supplied

Your margin of success over Evelyn Stevens was slim – just 27 metres.

“I had trained to achieve on more lap but theory is one thing and reality quite another!

“My power throughout was good and I was just happy to beat the existing record.”

Looking back, what would you do differently?

“I think I would enlist more help on the organisational side; that really was a big effort, the flights, the hotels and all of the UCI organisational aspects.”

Was your successful bid a ‘once in a lifetime’ or would you consider another attempt?

“Right now, I wouldn’t, no. 

“I have the record and I have other goals – none of the ‘big names’ in cycling seem to be interested in going for it but if someone broke my record then I may consider going again.

“The dry air I spoke of in Mexico means that if I did then I might seek out a sea level track, the times on the Olympic Velodrome in Tokyo suggest that it’s very fast. 

“The thing about the Hour is that it’s something you do for yourself, no one else.”

You won the time trial in the Tour de Feminin in the Czech Republic recently, what’s your next goal?

“I’m working towards the European Time Trial Championships in Trento – that’s where my focus is right now and things are going well…” [Vittoria finished 8th in Treno, ed.]

Vittoria Bussi
Vittoria Bussi climbing the Stelvio. Photo©supplied

With thanks to Vittoria for her time with this interview.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Dan Fleeman – New Captain of Team Raleigh

Last year at this time, life was ice cream and fairies for Dan Fleeman; he'd won the Tour of the Pyrenees; Cervelo Test Team had snapped him up and a start in a Grand Tour looked like a formality. But pro cycling is an unforgiving sport, and 2009 didn't go according to the script for the likeable man from Lichfield.

Grant Ferguson – the New British National U23 Cyclo-Cross Champion!

With the bell approaching, Grant Ferguson finally made his move and he broke clear, able to stretch his lead to around half a minute at the finish line, as he claimed his first national Cyclo Cross title.

Alex Stieda – North America’s First TdF Maillot Jaune!

Canada’s Alex Stieda became the first North American to pull on the most famous and coveted jersey in professional cycling. Le Tour 1986, Stage One and Stieda heads off up the road solo, the peloton lets him go – a Canadian ? Paah! But there’s method in his madness as he scoops up intermediate points and time bonuses along the way; and when the winning breakaway train of five catch him he has enough strength and presence of mind to purchase a ticket. The break just holds of the screaming pack; Stieda grabs fifth behind Belgium’s Pol Verschuere – but those time bonuses have propelled the Canadian pursuiter into cycling history – he’s maillot jaune.

Ron Baensch – Aussie Sprinter in the Golden Age of the ’60’s

A man who caught the tail end of the Golden Age of sprinting wave back in the 60’s was Australian Ron Baensch. Ron was born in 1939 but still rides his track bike twice each week; "Us old guys ride a 40 lapper!" he delights in telling us.

At Random

Bert Roesems – Wants a Win!

It's the 2007 Three Days of De Panne, stage one, hilly, windy and there are men dying out there. But at the front a powerful figure attacks constantly into the wind which scythes in off the North Sea-and he doesn't quit his huge 'digs' until the race defining break has formed around him.

Scottish Cycling Super 6 – Round 6, Wanlockhead 2009

Nationals apart, Gary Hand (Endura) has dominated the Scottish domestic scene in 2009; he continued that superiority with another win in the Super Six Series in the Tour of the Lowther today, on tough roads around Britain's highest village-Wanlockhead.

Question Marks

Question Marks. Today is a long, lumpy stage with a kicker in the final 2km. It's not hard enough for the GC boys to do more than snipe a few seconds on each other here or there, but maybe too hard for the pure sprinters to be a part of the finale.

James McCallum – Racing Is My Job Now!

Ex-British Criterium Champion and Commonwealth Games track medalist James McCallum has recently returned from a few months racing and resting in the antipodes, and is looking forward to getting stuck into the new season with his re-vamped Endura Racing team. We met James for a good old chinwag this week over lunch: he turned up at the restaurant looking hungry, and with a huge Endura team bag over his shoulder...