80.53 km/h on average to become the fastest cyclist in history on the track

British cyclist Matt Richardson has become the fastest track cyclist by breaking the world record for the 200-meter flying start, stopping the clock at 8.941 seconds at the Konya Velodrome in Turkey. With this mark, he is not only the first man to break the nine-second barrier, but he did it at an average speed of 80.53 km/h, surpassing the previous record of Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen by 0.147 seconds.

Matt Richardson is the new fastest man in track cycling

Richardson, 26, achieved this feat on a special version of the Hope HB.T used by the UK in the 2024 Paris Olympics, equipped with a new 3D-printed seatpost, cranks, and handlebars, as well as a custom-designed wide fork by Hope. “Basically, I was just a passenger. I just gave the bike a bit of direction and it seemed to steer itself. I even rode part of it outside the sprint lane, so I think there's room for more,” confessed the sprinter after his historic attempt.

This was not Richardson's first time close to the record as he had marked 9.091 s in Paris 2024, but Lavreysen reclaimed it minutes later. In March of this year, he also broke the record at the Konya Nations Cup, but the UCI did not validate it for encroaching on the lower part of the track.

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His record came on a day of multiple British attempts: para-cyclist Will Bjergfelt set a new C5 hour record with 51.471 km, while Charlie Tanfield could not surpass Filippo Ganna's absolute mark (56.791 km).

With this performance, Richardson not only writes his name in track cycling history but also opens a new era in which the 200-meter flying start has surpassed the psychological barrier of 80 km/h for the first time.