'You get into a flow state' – British 100-mile road bike record set by Dane

Casper von Folsach, a British 100-mile road bike record-setter hailing from Denmark, recently made history by completing a 100-mile ride in just 3 hours and 27 minutes on a non-time trial bike. Despite the feat not being his usual style, von Folsach, a 33-year-old road and track cyclist, managed to maintain a consistent pace throughout the grueling journey.

As he explained, it is crucial to keep the pace manageable throughout the ride, not to start at maximal effort and risk cramping up. The Danish cyclist, who previously competed in the 2012 Olympics for Denmark in the men's team pursuit and now serves as a performance coach for WattShop CC, emphasizes the mental challenge that comes with such a long-distance event.

"You get into a bit of a flow state," he shared, explaining how he focuses on his effort and manages various factors like power, speed, and hydration. The absence of a dedicated road bike record category, pending the CTT's introduction, left von Folsach with no concrete target to aim for. However, he managed to finish just nine seconds behind the nearest existing record.

Despite the possibility of another rider claiming the record, von Folsach remains focused on growing the sport and hopes for increased participation, making the road bike category more accessible and appealing to riders.