Getting faster with age and still the holder of a string of time trial national records, John Madden goes for the hour record in Manchester on Sunday (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)
Former Irish triathlon champion turned top time trial rider and road man, John Madden will attempt the hour record on the Manchester velodrome on Sunday.
Now riding for Dig Deep Coaching, the veteran’s record attempt coincides with the Masters World Track Championships at the same track.
Former international rider and Rás winner Tommy Evans holds the national record for the hour. He set a marker of 46.166km back in 1999. And the world masters record is 47.8km.
Madden may have just turned 50 years but shows little sign of slowing down and indeed has gotten faster against the clock as he has matured.
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In 2012 he took six minutes off the then elite national 100 mile TT record with a time of 3:45:05.
He has been Ulster 100 mile champion and until last year he also held the 50 and 100 mile elite records, despite being a latecomer to cycling.
He was on the Irish triathlon team through the 1990s and was Ulster and national champion several times.
He also won a bronze medal at the world triathlon championships in Muskoka, Canada in 1992.
Madden digging deep on his way to the silver medal in the Masters' 50 race at the National Road Championships (Photo with thanks to championship's race director Stevie McKenna)
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Madden is th current Irish record holder for veterans at all of the main TT distances. His 10 mile record stands at 19mins 17secs while his 25 mile vets’ marker is 49:41.
His Irish vets’ record of the 50 mile event is 1:45:19 and for the 100 mile test is 3:37:36.
He took the silver medal in the Masters 50 race at the National Road Championships in Omagh in June.
And last year he also broke the Derry-Belfast record that stood for 50 years since being set by legendary Morris Foster MBE back in 1964.
He clocked a time of 2hrs 37mins and 33secs; an average of 27.4mph for the 72 mile course.
Madden will begin his hour record on the Manchester velodrome at about 10.50am on Sunday. His ride is the sixth event on the programme.
A school principal at Roddensvale School in Larne, Co Antrim, he is hoping to raise much needed funds for the school by tackling the hour.
The school caters for pupils aged 3 to 19 years who all have severe learning difficulties. Some of the pupils have complex medical needs plus profound and multiple learning difficulties.
You can find details about how to donate to Madden’s fundraising drive by following this link.
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