Average Speeds
Speeds achieved on indoor tracks are usually greater than those on roads. Other factors affecting speed are the route profile (flats and hills), wind conditions, temperatures and elevation. At a 2009 event in Russia, Kevin Sireau achieved an average of 20.73 metres per second (74.6 km/h; 46.4 mph) with a flying start over 200 meters. The top average speed over the men's 1km time trial at the 2004 Summer Olympics was 16.4 metres per second (59 km/h; 37 mph) recorded by Chris Hoy. Average speeds clearly drop with increasing distance, so that over the 120 km Cootamundra Annual Classic it is 11.8 metres per second (42 km/h; 26 mph). In the 259 km 2010 Paris-Roubaix, the winner set a speed of 10.9 metres per second (39 km/h; 24 mph), while over the 818 km Furnace Creek 508, the speed drops dramatically to 8.3 metres per second (30 km/h; 19 mph). For an extreme road distance such as the 4800 km Race Across America, the average speed of the record holder is 5.7 metres per second (21 km/h; 13 mph), while the 2350 km Freedom Trail over mountainous terrain in South Africa is at a record speed of 1.9 metres per second (6.8 km/h; 4.3 mph).
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