Sosenka smashes Boardman record

Sosenka was under Boardman's record from the outset on Tuesday

Czech rider Ondrej Sosenka broke Chris Boardman's world one-hour cycling record in Russia on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old set a distance of 49,700m, beating Briton Boardman's previous record of 49,441m, set in Manchester in 2000.

The 29-year-old Acqua e Sapone rider is a time-trial specialist, and has won the Uniqa Classic prologue and Stage four in the Tour of Belgium this year.

Boardman's record improved on Eddy Merckx's 1972 mark by just 0.01km.

That record marked a new beginning for the discipline, with world cycling (UCI) rules requiring riders to revert back to the same kind of technology that Merckx used decades earlier.

Known as the Athlete's Hour Record, it replaced the Absolute Hour Record standard which permitted the use of aerodynamic bicycles, positions and clothing.

Sosenka was under Boardman's record from the outset at the Krylatskoye Olympic indoor track.

He recorded a time of 1:15.01 (to 1:17.891) for the opening kilometre and then went over three seconds up through the 5km point.

By 25km he had extended his advantage to just under seven seconds which continued to grow to 18 seconds by 40km.