It’s the toughest test in cycling. The ultimate trip into the pain cave. The worst hour of your life. So I’ve heard, because there’s no way I’d put myself through it. Not even Fabian was prepared to put himself up against 60 minutes.

Riding for an hour? No problem… Riding at your maximum intensity for an hour, that’s for pros and fools. Tom Zirbel waited until the end of his own pro career to take on the hour, attempting to break the US record by heading to altitude in Mexico, scene of previous record setting rides by true suffer-meisters like Merckx and Moser.