Renishaw’s metal additive manufacturing technology has helped Great Britain’s track cyclist Matthew Richardson, to become the first cyclist in history to break the nine-second barrier in the UCI Men’s Elite 200m Flying Start. Matthew then broke his own world record 24 hours after setting it, by 0.084sec, with a new time of 8.857sec.
Riding a custom Hope HB.T track bike, Richardson was equipped with Renishaw’s 3-D printed metal components, including sprint handlebars, track cranks and a twin seat post — designed for maximum stiffness, aerodynamic efficiency and a rider-specific fit. These components helped to enable Matthew to deliver sustained, peak power while maintaining aerodynamic form at over 50mph. Taking place at the Konya Velodrome in Turkey, his fastest time shaved 0.231sec off the previous world record set by Harrie Lavreysen of the Netherlands.
Renishaw technology also supported British Cycling’s Will Bjergfelt and Charlie Tanfield as they attempted to break two further world records. Will Bjergfelt shattered the Men’s C5 UCI Hour Record presented by Tissot, covering an impressive 51.471km in just one hour. Charlie Tanfield also attempted a new Hour Record, but with a distance of 53.967km he fell short of Filippo Ganna’s 2022 record of 56.791km.
Tough proving groundBen Collins, lead applications engineer at Renishaw, said: “Elite sport is one of the toughest proving grounds for any technology. The demands placed on these bikes, from aerodynamic precision to structural integrity, are extraordinary. To see our additive manufacturing technology contribute to Matt’s historic sub-9sec ride is a proud moment for everyone at Renishaw.”
By working closely with the British Cycling engineering team, Renishaw’s additive manufacturing team developed components with complex geometries and weight-to-strength ratios that traditional manufacturing cannot achieve. This level of customisation allows riders like Matthew to achieve the optimal blend of comfort, efficiency and power transfer, crucial factors at the highest level of competition.
Matthew’s record is part of a growing list of world-class achievements powered by Renishaw’s additive manufacturing expertise, as it continues to deliver measurable performance gains through precision engineering.