Two years after he successfully set a mark of 66.288 kilometres, 57 year old Maas van Beek has improved the best hour performance behind a derny motorbike, laying down a new record of 66.639 kilometres.
The UCI has today announced that the mark has been ratified, meaning that his October 25th performance in Moscow will now enter the record books.
“I was going to the limit but very happy with the new pure nature record,” he said after the ride.
Van Beek first set a mark of 66.343 kilometres in 2008, but his bike was not deemed as conforming to the UCI’s strict equipment regulations in relation to hour record bids.
He returned in May 2010 to post the approved mark of 66.288, and has now extended that by a further 351 metres.
At nearly 60 years of age, it is an impressive feat, and not least because of his background. In 1985 Van Beek was diagnosed with skin cancer and two years later, was treated again when it spread to his lymph nodes. He recovered and in 1990 took a world tandem title with the visually impaired rider Jan Mulder.
His 2012 record ride was scheduled to take place on October 24th but was abandoned when he had chain problems. He returned a day later and set the new mark.
The record will face a big challenge in just over a month’s time when the 35 year old Dutchman Peter Schep will try to go further behind the derny in an hour. He won the UCI points race world championships in 2006 and one year later took the European championship Madison title with Jens Mouris.
Schep’s attempt will be held in Apeldoorn on December 27th. “Naturally, I hope that my record remains,” Van Beek told RTV Utrecht.