A cyclist reached a speed exceeding 280 kilometers per hour to set a new world record.
He did it on the surface of a United Kingdom airstrip.
Neil Campbell, 45, exceeded the previous male record of 268 km/h, using a specially-designed bike that cost over $18,000.
However, he still needs a little more to beat the fastest human-recorded speed on a bike, held by a woman.
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Campbell's elongated bike design is based on tandem models and is custom-built using parts from a motocross motorcycle.
The current speed he reached was 280.55 km/h.
The previous men's record had been set in 1995 by a Dutch cyclist.
The evidence of the record achieved this Saturday will be verified by the Guinness World Records organization.
The elongated design of the bike was based on a tandem model.
"Drafting"
The new male record set by Campbell was in the "slipstream" mode, a term in aerodynamics that involves taking advantage of the wake, or suction cone, created by a vehicle in front.
This is what is known as "drafting" in cycling.
The strategy by which the effort of the rival ahead is taken advantage of to save energy while pedaling and gain momentum.
The cyclist from Essex (northeast of London) reached the speed behind a Porsche, which dragged him in its wake along a 5 km track in North Yorkshire.
The Porsche Cayenne was equipped with a plastic box to help Campbell gain momentum.
The Porsche Cayenne model was fitted with a structure at the rear that allowed Campbell to take advantage of the suction cone along the 5 km track.
After accelerating, he was released so that he could pass through a gate that measured his speed.
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Campbell, a professional architect, said he was "excited and relieved" to have achieved the highest speed recorded by a man on a bike using the slipstream.
He expressed that "the team worked incredibly well".
"Porsche invests millions testing their cars in wind tunnels and what we did was attach a large plastic box to the rear," he said.
Campbell protected himself with a suit made of kangaroo leather, which is soft and resistant and traditionally used by motorcyclists.
A woman, the fastest in the world
Neil Campbell stated that his next challenge will be to try to surpass the overall record held by Denise Mueller-Korenek, considered the fastest human on two wheels.
Denise Mueller-Korenek set the overall bicycle speed record in September 2018.
The American Mueller-Korenek reached 296.01 km/h on a specially-designed bike in September 2018.
Campbell said his goal would be to reach 354 km/h next year on the 10 km track at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, United States, where Mueller-Korenek set her world record.
"This has been a five-year program and this record was the culmination of one part," he said.
"We have been limited by funding and budget to do what we can. Our plan now is to go to Bonneville and use a longer test track". (I)
