What distance did Eddy Merckx set for the men’s UCI Hour Record in 1972?

Eddy Merckx set the men’s UCI Hour Record at 49.431 kilometres in 1972.

Merckx achieved the distance at the Vigorelli velodrome in Milan on 25 October 1972. The Hour Record measures how far a cyclist can ride in exactly one hour on a track, with no drafting assistance. Merckx’s mark was set on a conventional track bicycle and stood for 12 years.

The record is often confused with later performances because the governing body changed the equipment rules. In 2000, the UCI separated “Best Human Effort” rides using advanced aerodynamic bicycles from the official Hour Record category, then later revised the rules again. Modern record holders therefore cannot always be compared directly with Merckx’s ride.

Merckx’s 49.431-kilometre ride remains one of the most celebrated individual endurance performances in cycling. The Vigorelli track, officially the Velodromo Maspes-Vigorelli, has hosted many important track records and is closely linked with the history of the event.