Confusion as Thomas Dekker fails in world hour record bid

Dekker was attempting to surpass the mark set by Australian BMC rider Rohan Dennis of 52.491 kilometres, but could not quite reach that distance as he set 52.221km in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

A temperamental clock meant it took officials over five minutes to confirm the official distance, with Dekker eventually put out of his misery as his initial distance of 52.250km was pushed down by 29 metres.

At the halfway point Dekker's average speed was only marginally less than the record, but he could not pick up his pace in the final 30 minutes and fell just short.

The record has been broken three times in the past year, with Jens Voigt’s run of 51.110km prompting Matthias Brandle and then Dennis to better that mark.