Matthew Richardson’s hopes of breaking the world record in the flying 200m time trial were dashed after the UCI ruled his effort invalid during the UCI Track Nations Cup in Konya, Turkey, on Sunday.
The Great Britain cyclist clocked an impressive 9.041 seconds in qualifying for the men’s sprint competition, surpassing the previous world record of 9.088 seconds set by Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Richardson’s time, which averaged 79.637 km/h, seemed to push the record closer to the coveted 9-second mark.
However, following a review of the video footage, the UCI determined that Richardson had strayed off track during his attempt. The cyclist had inadvertently crossed into the “apron” area—an out-of-bounds zone—leading to the voiding of his world record. Despite this, his qualifying position for the final remained intact.
Richardson later went on to secure victory in the sprint competition, defeating his GB teammate Harry Ledingham-Horn 2-0 in the final.
In a statement, the UCI explained: “Matthew Richardson recorded a time of 9.041 seconds in the 200m, which was initially 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 in recent months that Richardson’s world record aspirations have fallen short. During the Paris Olympics in August 2024, he set a new record in qualifying, only to see it eclipsed by Lavreysen shortly after.
The flying 200m event requires riders to complete three laps to build speed before attempting the timed 200m effort. On Saturday, China’s Yuan Liying made history in the women’s event by becoming the first female rider to clock a time under 10 seconds, stopping the clock at 9.976 seconds with an average speed of 72.173 km/h. Like Richardson, Liying went on to win the gold medal.
This weekend’s event in Konya was the only UCI Nations Cup round of the season and the first major international competition held at the Konya Velodrome, which opened in 2022. The venue features a wooden track with steeper banking than most Olympic velodromes. With turns pitched at 45.5°, it is more than 3° steeper than the standard and 1.7° steeper than the Paris Olympic velodrome, a known hotspot for record-breaking performances. The steep banking aids in the flying 200m effort, allowing riders to gain additional speed as they drive from the top of the track.
Richardson, who switched allegiances from Australia after the Paris Olympics, made his debut for the Great Britain Cycling Team in Konya. On Friday, he won the gold medal in the team sprint alongside Ledingham-Horn and Harry Radford before claiming 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 here today – the sprint day’s always a really tough one being the third day of racing – but it was hard for everyone. I was just glad I got it done in the end.”
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