Get ready! Lavreysen sets new sea-level world record in the kilometer time trial

Harrie Lavreysen made it clear that he's serious business during the qualification for the kilometer time trial at the World Championships in Ballerup, Denmark. Competing in this event at the international level for the first time, the Dutch cyclist managed to set a world record at sea level.

For Lavreysen, the kilometer time trial is a new discipline. As a debutant in this event at an international tournament, he is chasing a new world title. That chase has started perfectly. With a time of 57.4 seconds, he qualified for the next rounds, setting a sea-level record. He was four-tenths faster than the previous record held by Jeffrey Hoogland. Lavreysen also qualified for the finale, where he broke his own record but still fell three-tenths short of his friend and competitor, Hoogland.

To break the official world record, Lavreysen will need to shift into an even higher gear. Hoogland set a time of 55.433 seconds in October 2023 in Aguascalientes, Mexico. That time, set on a high-altitude track, is simply unbeatable on a sea-level track. The finale of the kilometer time trial is scheduled for tonight: at 8:00 PM local time (2 PM EST), Hoogland and Lavreysen will go head-to-head.

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Lavreysen defeated in 'his' keirin on Thursday

The surprising performances by "Hattrick Harrie" come at the right time. He was knocked out in the semi-final of 'his' keirin event on Thursday. "I made a tactical error in the semifinals," a disappointed Lavreysen said afterward. "I waited too long and kept hanging at the upper level. Just plain super stupid. I messed up. Looking back, it's easy to comment. I could have done so much differently. But then again, I'm only human, and I make mistakes." Regardless, Lavreysen’s year is already unforgettable: with three gold medals at the Paris Olympics this summer, he was one of the standout stars of the tournament.