FRANCE: ERIC BARONE BELIEVES HE'S BROKEN THE WORLD SPEED RECORD FOR A MOUNTAIN BIKE

Record ID: 646332

  • Title: FRANCE: ERIC BARONE BELIEVES HE'S BROKEN THE WORLD SPEED RECORD FOR A MOUNTAIN BIKE
  • Date: 14th March 1997
  • Summary: VARS, FRANCE (MARCH 14, 1997) 1. COUNTDOWN FOR ERIC BARONE TO START HIS RUN 2. BARONE GOING DOWNHILL (VARIOUS ANGLES) 2. AERIAL SHOT BARONE FINISHING HIS DESCENT 3. BARONE SAYING HE IS HAPPY TO GOT WORLD RECORD BUT SORRY HE DID NOT BREAK 210KM MARK (FRENCH SPEECH) 4. REPLAY OF THE DESCENT FROM ANOTHER ANGLE 5. CAMERA ON THE BIKE SHOWING DESCENT 6. BARONE OPENS BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGE TO CELEBRATE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 29th March 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: VARS, FRANCE
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA12V7TK8YG98QITWSXUUU4I3YK
  • Story Text: A Frenchman believes he's broken the world speed record for a mountain bike, achieving a speed of 207.253 kilometres per hour (128.49 mph).

    Eric Barone, of the SUNN-NIKE mountain-bike team, broke his previous record early on Friday morning (March 14) on the slopes of the Vars ski area, where the world record for speed on skis was set at 241 kilometres per hour (149 mph).

    The speed was monitored by officials from the Vars mountain resort.

    The officially recognised cycle speed records are higher than Barone's, but are set on racing cycles, on flat surfaces and come from cyclists pedalling behind speeding cars which tend to suck the riders along.

    Barone's speed lends little to pedalling but everything to keeping the wheels straight and having the nerve to attempt the feat in the first place. During his run down the slope Barone descended 400 metres in altitude.

    He already holds the previous record at 200 kilometres per hour (124 mph), which he set in April 1996.

    Afterwards Barone said he was happy with his performance, but regretted not breaking 210 kilometres per hour, and already has some ideas to improve his speed when he tries again next year.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register