Great Britain’s Matthew Richardson’s attempt to break the world record in the flying 200m time trial at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Konya, Turkey, was voided by the UCI after an investigation revealed he had strayed off the track.
Richardson clocked an impressive 9.041 seconds in qualifying for the men’s sprint event on Sunday morning, surpassing the previous world record of 9.088 seconds set by Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The time also saw Richardson averaging 79.637 km/h, edging the record closer to the coveted 9-second mark.
However, after reviewing video footage, the UCI ruled that Richardson’s time would not be recognized due to a breach of the track’s boundaries. He had strayed beneath the blue band, onto the out-of-bounds apron area, which disqualified his attempt from world record status. Despite this, his first-place qualifying position remained intact.
The 25-year-old went on to win the sprint competition, defeating his Great Britain teammate Harry Ledingham-Horn 2-0 in the final.
A UCI statement confirmed: “Matthew Richardson recorded a time of 9.041 in the 200m, which was originally acknowledged as a new UCI World Record. After review of the video footage, the world record cannot be confirmed by the UCI due to the last meters of the 200m distance being ridden off the track (on the safety zone).”
This marks the second time Richardson’s world record ambitions have been dashed. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, he briefly held the record in qualifying before Lavreysen reclaimed it minutes later.
The flying 200m is a qualification event where riders complete three laps to build speed before launching into their timed 200m effort. On Saturday, China’s Yuan Liying set a new world record in the women’s event, becoming the first woman to break the 10-second barrier with a time of 9.976 seconds at a speed of 72.173 km/h. Like Richardson, Liying also claimed the gold medal.
The Konya Velodrome hosted its first major international event during the UCI Nations Cup, the only round of the season. Opened in 2022, the venue boasts a unique wooden track with steeper bankings than most Olympic velodromes. With turns pitched at 45.5°, the Konya track offers an ideal environment for flying 200m efforts, allowing riders to achieve higher speeds.
Richardson, who switched nationalities from Australia to Great Britain after the Paris Olympics, made his debut for the British team at the event. He secured a gold medal in the team sprint on Friday with Ledingham-Horn and Harry Radford, before clinching the individual sprint title.
Reflecting on his victory, Richardson said, “It’s a pretty special feeling. I’ve won World Cups before, so it’s not a new feeling, but it’s still one I’m very proud of. It was a long day today – the sprint days are always tough, being the third day of racing – but it was hard for everyone. I’m just glad I got it done in the end.”
Related topics
- Vingegaard Crashes at Paris-Nice, Loses Race Lead
- Could TotalEnergies Deal Signal the End of Ineos Grenadiers?
- Olav Kooij Sprints to Victory on Tirreno-Adriatico Stage 4