After a disappointing Vuelta a España where he said he would be aiming for a top five finish overall but instead ended up riding support for Fredrik Kessiakoff and placing 89th, there are reports that Andrey Kashechkin has set a very unexpected target.
According to Deia.com, the Astana rider will seek to break the world hour record in early November, scheduling his attempt between the fourth and sixth day of that month. He is working with the coach Jaume Mas in his build up, and will reportedly aim to improve the mark set by Ondrej Sosenka in 2005.
Sosenka unexpectedly beat Chris Boardman’s record with a mark of 49.7 kilometres. As per the rules, he rode a traditional steel bicycle, although he was believed to have used wheels with a greater mass in order to build and maintain momentum.
Kashechkin has not shown particularly good form in the past two seasons. Prior to the two year ban for blood doping which he incurred in 2006, he was a stage winner and third-place finisher in the 2006 Vuelta a España.
Note: a representative for Kashechkin has since clarified the nature of the hour record attempt, saying it will be for the track record rather than Sosenka's mark.