Track sprinter Jeffrey Hoogland has become the first man to set a new 1km time trial world record in a decade, making history with a blistering new time of 55.433 seconds on Tuesday.
Hoogland was up on the previous record throughout the four-lap effort, increasing his advantage from five-tenths of a second at the halfway point to eight-tenths as he crossed the line to cheers from his support at the Velodromo Bicentenario in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
France’s François Pervis set the previous record at 56.303 seconds in December 2013 an effort which became the longest-standing in track cycling. Hoogland had been the only man to come close during the ten-year period, and was prompted to challenge the feat after winning his fourth Kilo world title in Glasgow earlier this year.
Hoogland was understandably empty after his crowning effort, only able to muster a small first pump in celebration one full lap after he crossed the line. It even took him 20 minutes to recover before he spoke to the media and marvelled at what he had just achieved.
"I don't actually know if I'm still alive. I can't really enjoy it yet," said Hoogland to AD and other media after his effort. "It hurts everywhere. But I'm very happy with the world record, that's why I came here. The fact that I am almost 1 second faster is really cool!
"I almost expected miracles here at altitude, but it was still a blast to cycle. It wasn't until I heard the cheering at the finish that I knew it was a world record anyway."
Hoogland was already a 1km time trial legend and part of an incredible Dutch men’s sprint generation that also includes two-time Olympic and thirteen-time world champion Harrie Lavreysen, but the world record sets him into a different level of history. That was why he attempted it, to chase legacy in the sport.
“I want my name to be at the top of the starting list for the kilometre for a number of years. It's a legacy, something you can look back on,” said the Dutchman to De Volkskrant ahead of his record attempt. “That Hoogland rode a really hard 'kilo'. That's nice if you are no longer involved in the sport and it still lives on.”
Despite being a solo effort on the boards, Hoogland also appreciated the monumental work that went into those 55 seconds of pain, with coaches, staff and family all affected by the sacrifice. But it was all worth it in the end.
“Recently everything has had to make way for this moment,” Hoogland said to the KNWU. "I don't know how long my career will last, but I wanted to remain associated with the sport forever with a world record. The fact that I have now succeeded feels fantastic. I am very grateful to all the partners who have given me this opportunity."
Hoogland also had a reserve day at the high-altitude track commonly used for records, in case he missed it on October 31. This gives him another opportunity to make history and he will attempt to also break the world record in the 200 metres with a flying start later today. That record is currently held by Trinidad and Tobago’s Nicholas Paul, set in 2019 in Bolivia, with a time of 9.100 seconds.
Despite the Kilo being dropped from the Olympic programme in 2005 after Chris Hoy took victory in Athens, Hoogland's ambitions will turn to the Olympics in Paris next year, where he'll want to defend the Dutch Team Sprint title and challenge for medals in the individual sprint and keirin.
