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