Bobridge: Tour Down Under lead isn't hindering Hour Record attempt

Image 1 of 2

The question for Jack Bobridge is whether overall success at the Tour Down Under would mean more than claiming the Hour Record on January 31 and having that broken a week later by Rohan Dennis (BMC). Bobridge finished the second stage of the WorldTour race to Stirling on the same time as winner Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar) to retain his overall lead at the race ahead of the key GC stage to Paracombe.

"It is an attempt next Saturday night and I would love to break it but this chance doesn't come around all the time to be sitting in the leader's jersey at the Tour Down Under," Bobridge told reporters after the stage. "It is hard to say what is more important, Hour Record is pretty special but it is also Tour Down Under.

"At this point in time I will concentrate on Tour Down Under and see if I can win this week. I'll concentrate on the Hour Record when it comes around."

Complicating preparation for Bobridge's attempt on the Hour Record is the fact that he leads the race but the 25-year-old is a racer through and through and the prospect of victory is too great to ignore. Particularly being his home race and only WorldTour event that Bobridge will race in 2015.

"If I have to race everyday like that I will be tired but I can't throw away not trying for the leader's jersey so I'll give it 100 per cent and worry about the Hour Record and recovery next week. I'll do my best and the team supports me 100 per cent so we are going to try and hold the jersey for as long as possible." 

With former national teammate and member of the London Olympic's team pursuit squad that won silver, Dennis also tackling the Hour Record on February 8 and Bradley Wiggins will do the same in June or July, there exists the possibility of Bobridge setting a record that is broken twice. However, he reiterated his self-assurance of adding the Hour Record to his four kilometre world record that he set in 2011.

"I've got full confidence in myself to hold it," he said. "We have to wait and see how this week goes and how fatigued I am. I wouldn't do it unless I was confident I would hold it for a long time."

Bobridge concluded that while some may speculate on just when he tackles the record, he is adamant that there will be no chance to time or place. The only chance Bobridge is anticipating is to the record books.

"No not at all," he said of changing the date. "We have done too much to make it happen now and it is on the track nationals night so ill still attempt it no matter what and I still have confidence in myself that I will ride fast and if it [racing the TDU] takes a bit off me we have to wait and see."