Hourly world record: Bussi is the first woman to break the 50-kilometre barrier
Thomas Huber
· 17.10.2023
"I am overwhelmed to break the UCI hour world record for the second time in my career by covering the distance of 50.267 kilometres in the velodrome where I already broke it in 2018," Bussi is quoted as saying on the UCI website. "I owe this to everyone who has supported me over the years and believed in me and my project. This achievement is the result of excellent teamwork and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to making this possible."
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The Italian had already held the hourly world record from 2018 to 2021 with an hourly average of 48.007 kilometres per hour. With her new best performance, she pulverised the record of Ellen van Dijk, who covered 49.254 kilometres in one hour. The current men's record holder is Filippo Ganna, he covered 56.792 kilometres in October 2022.
Who is Vittoria Bussi?
36-year-old Vittoria Bussi holds a doctorate in mathematics from Oxford University. "As a mathematician, I contribute to aerodynamic and technological studies and would like to break the 50-kilometre mark in my next attempt to break the UCI women's hourly world record," she explained in the run-up to the record ride. Between 2013 and 2015, she was active as a professional in UCI elite races, but Bussi now only competes in time trials. In 2020, she finished tenth in this discipline at the World Championships.
Development of the women's world hourly record
- 1955: Tamara Nowikowa (38.473 km)
- 1957: Renee Vissac (38.569 km)
- 1958: Mildred Robinson (39.718 km)
- 1958: Elsy Jacobs (41.347 km)
- 1972: Maria Cressari (41.471 km)
- 1978: Keetie van Oosten-Hage (43.082 km)
- 2000: Anna Wilson (43.501 km)
- 2000: Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (44.767 km)
- 2000: Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (45.094 km)
- 2003: Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel (46.065 km)
- 2015: Molly Shaffer Van Houweling (46.273 km)
- 2016: Bridie O'Donnell (46.882 km)
- 2016: Evelyn Stevens (47.980 km)
- 2018: Vittoria Bussi (48.007 km)
- 2021: Joscelin Lowden (48.406 km)
- 2022: Ellen van Dijk (49.254 km)
- 2023: Vittoria Bussi (50.267 km)
