| Graham Obree is one of the most unique cyclists. | | | | final he beat Frenchman Phillipe Ermanault. To |
| He has had a colourful cycling history which | | | | become World Champion was in many ways |
| includes breaking the prestigious world hour record | | | | unexpected for Obree but it enabled him to |
| twice. Obree made his first attempt in Norway, | | | | attract many lucrative offers to travel around |
| 1993. At the time he was relatively unkown | | | | Europe racing in prestiguous time trials and track |
| outside of Great Britain and few gave him any | | | | meetings. Graham was victim to an unfortunate |
| realistic chance of beating Francesco Moser's | | | | experience in the 1994 World Championships. |
| world hour record of 51.151 KM which had stood | | | | Obree was the defending champion and had |
| since 1984.At the first attempt Obree failed | | | | modified his bike to bring him into line with the |
| missing the mark by nearly 1 KM. However Obree | | | | new rules. However on the evening of the |
| was determined to try again the next day. Most | | | | Championships the UCI bought in a new law |
| journalists left and Obree had to beg the officials | | | | effectively banning his unique tuck position. The |
| to let him have another go. This time to many | | | | rule was so new that it hadn't even been written |
| people's surprise he was successful setting a new | | | | down. Obree had no chance to get used to a new |
| hour record of 51.596 KM. This record would later | | | | design and was thus disqualified after his first |
| be surpassed by Chris Boardman just one week | | | | qualifying attempt. Obree briefly signed a contract |
| later. However Obree went on to break the | | | | with a French based professional team. However |
| record a second time in April 1994.Graham Obree | | | | unfortunately this didn't work out. Obree said he |
| is also famous for building innovative bike designs | | | | never felt comfatable in the set up and was also |
| using various spare parts. After his first world | | | | unwilling to pay the "supplementary medicine " |
| hour record there was a lot of media interest in | | | | costs (this was in the Pre Festina) days. It was |
| his home made bike. Obree's bike apparantely | | | | after this time that Obree began to increasingly |
| was made with bits of an old BMX and parts | | | | suffer from depression. |
| from a washing machine. I think some of this got | | | | Recently Obree's fascinating life has been made |
| exaggerated however Obree was definitely an | | | | into a feature filmObree's autobiography is a |
| innovator and continues to make his own bikes. | | | | compelling account of his experiences as a bike |
| For a while Obree was feted by the European | | | | rider and his private battle with the problems of |
| press who were intigued with this eccentric | | | | depression and low self esteem. The overriding |
| Scottish man who had built his own bike. Perhaps | | | | theme in his book is his desire to prove himself |
| unfairly this overshadowed his athletic ability and | | | | by winning. If he lost a race he would feel awful. |
| great determination. For his first record he used a | | | | The book is written with great honesty and is a |
| position known as the tuck position this has also | | | | fascinating insight into the mind of a great |
| been labelled the "Obree" position.This position was | | | | athlete.Richard is a member of the UK Sri |
| later banned by the UCI but Obree went on to | | | | Chinmoy Cycling Team. He regularly rides time |
| develop another position, popularly called the | | | | trials in England. In 2005 he finished 4th in the |
| Superman Position".After his record breaking | | | | National 100 mile TT Championship. He is a |
| attempt Obree went onto become World Pursuit | | | | meditation student of Sri Chinmoy who |
| Champion in 1993. He beat Chris Boardman in the | | | | encourages self-transcendence in all aspects of |
| Semi Final (also setting a new world record) In the | | | | life. |