Obree is back

Previous world hour record holder Graeme Obree found himself back in business over the weekend, albeit at a local level.

The man, nicknamed 'The Flying Scotsman' after he smashed Francesco Moser's previous long-standing hour record on July 17, 1993, convincingly won the Glasgow Couriers-Bennett Developments 10 mile time trial last Saturday, April 30. His time of 19 minutes and 55 seconds was almost one minute faster than that of the next two placegetters, Arthur Doyle (Ivy CC) and Hugh Jamieson (Inverclyde Velo).

The victory was a welcome return for Obree, who had endured a long period of manic depression and an attempt to end his life on December 17, 2001, where he was found unconscious, hanging from the rafters of a barn near his home in rural Scotland. He has spent the last few years recovering at home, in the company of his wife and two children.