Boardman's record finale

Boardman shot to fame at the 1992 Olympics

Britain's Chris Boardman aims to end his career in style.

He will attempt to break Eddy Merckx's 1972 record for the "Best Hour Performance" at the World Track Championships in Manchester on Friday.

"It will be my last ever event as a professional cyclist, the minute it's finished, I'm retired, but the last thing I'm going to do is set a mark for the people of the future," said the 32-year-old.

Boardman has already broken the record twice, with his 1996 performance of 56.375km still standing as the "absolute" best, but new regulations have reinstated Merckx's record of 49.431km as the official mark after it was claimed the bicycles used by record-breakers in the last 20 years were too high-tech.

World governing body, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), has proclaimed that all future record-breakers must use equipment similar to that ridden by Belgian legend Merckx in the 1970s.

Boardman, an Olympic champion in 1992, the winner of three world titles and three Tour de France prologue time trials, will use a conventional bicycle in his "last ride as a pro' bike rider" before he hangs up his helmet.

Man or machine

His record in 1996 was achieved riding in the "superman" position on a specially-designed aerodynamic bicycle frame and wheels, which were all permitted in the rules at the time.

The minute it's finished, I'm retired, but the last thing I'm going to do is set a mark for the people of the future

  Chris Boardman

Worried that technology was overshadowing athletic achievement, the UCI have subsequently banned most of the design innovations and the superman position to show the event is about the man rather than the machine.

Boardman will be hoping to prove he is "the man" when he gets on his "traditional" bike at 1545 BST on Friday at Manchester Velodrome.

"The bike will look like a bicycle as the guy on the street would see it, dropped handlebars, spoked wheels, round tubes and that's the way it should be," said Boardman.

Merckx: one of the greatest cyclists ever

Tough conditions

However, it will not be easy for the British rider who will be without the advantage of altitude that Merckx had when he set his record on an outdoor track in Mexico City on 25 October 1972.

Boardman will have to hope that modern training and coaching on the world's fastest indoor track will do the job in a contest that spans nearly three decades and two continents.

Friday's record-attempt will also be a sad farewell to a man who has enjoyed unprecedented success over the last eight years, but Boardman insists it is time to move on.

"I'm going to miss being in the spotlight. It's a good time to stop. It's got to happen. There are other things I want to do in my life," said the British great.