Cycling champions gear up for record-breaking attempts in Konya, Turkey
British Cyclists Break Records and Set New Challenges at Konya Velodrome
The Konya Velodrome in Turkey played host to a historic day for British cycling on August 14 and 15, 2025. Three British cyclists, Matthew Richardson, Charlie Tanfield, and William Bjergfelt, attempted world records in their respective categories.
Matthew Richardson, an Australian-born cyclist representing the United Kingdom, made history by setting a new world record in the 200-meter flying start. With a time of 8.941 seconds, Richardson became the first cyclist to go under 9 seconds for this event.
Charlie Tanfield, a British cyclist and 2018 World Track Champion in Team Pursuit, attempted to break the elite men's UCI Hour Record currently held by Filippo Ganna. Despite falling short in his bid, Tanfield's effort was a testament to his determination and skill.
The highlight of the second day was William Bjergfelt's performance. Competing in the C5 classification, Bjergfelt targeted the one-hour world record in his category. The Paralympian cyclist, who has achieved notable results at the 2021 UCI Para-cycling World Championships and raced at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, successfully set a new UCI C5 Hour Record, covering 51.471 km, surpassing the previous C5 record by nearly 4 km.
All three athletes used the same model of bike, the Hope HB.T, adapted to their disciplines.
Here's a summary of the schedule and participants:
| Date | Athlete | Record Attempt | Result | |---------------|-------------------|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | August 14, 2025 | Matt Richardson | 200m Flying Start | New world record: 8.941 seconds | | August 14, 2025 | Charlie Tanfield | Elite Men's UCI Hour Record | Attempted but did not break the record | | August 15, 2025 | William Bjergfelt | C5 UCI Hour Record (Para-cycling) | New world record: 51.471 km on August 15 |
The Turkish Cycling Federation organised the event at the Konya Velodrome, with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and British Cycling also collaborating for the historic event. The Konya Velodrome, located in Türkiye, is one of the most modern cycling tracks in both Türkiye and Europe.
Spectators and media will be able to follow the action live at the Konya Velodrome on both days. The event continues on August 15, with William Bjergfelt attempting the C5 one-hour world record at 9:30 a.m., followed by Charlie Tanfield's standard one-hour record attempt at 11:30 a.m., and Matthew Richardson's 200-meter sprint trial in the afternoon at 1:30 p.m. These attempts mark a significant milestone for British cycling and are sure to captivate audiences around the world.
[1] The Guardian: British cyclists aim for world records at Konya Velodrome [2] BBC Sport: Matthew Richardson targets 200m world record [3] Cycling Weekly: Charlie Tanfield targets UCI Hour Record [4] The Independent: William Bjergfelt eyes C5 Hour Record [5] British Cycling: William Bjergfelt sets new C5 Hour Record
In the historic event held at the Konya Velodrome, Turkey, on August 15, 2025, Paralympian cyclist William Bjergfelt competed in the C5 classification, aiming to break the one-hour world record in his category.
This modern cycling track, also known as one of the most advanced in Turkey and Europe, hosted numerous accolades as British cyclists attempted world records, with Bjergfelt emerging victorious, setting a new UCI C5 Hour Record.
