Harrie Lavreysen aims to reclaim world record from Matthew Richardson: "Won’t happen at European Championships"

Harrie Lavreysen goes on Thursday evening for his fifth European title in the Sprint. During the 2026 European Track Championships in Turkey, he will face his eternal rival Matthew Richardson, who notably took Lavreysen's world record in the flying 200 meters on the very same track in Konya last August. For the North Brabant rider, that acts like a red rag to a bull. “But this week, I won’t manage that,” he says. He explains to WielerFlits why not.

Are you aware that if you win the Sprint on Wednesday evening, you could become the most successful European Championships participant ever?
“No! Is that Jeffrey Hoogland now? Ah, he has one more medal. But I must say I’m not focused on that. I didn’t participate in the Kilometer Time Trial on Monday evening either. From now on, I’m fully concentrating on the Olympic disciplines again. It’s not my goal to just count titles, because then I would have done the kilometer too. But I gladly skipped that to focus on the sprint events.”

What challenges do lie ahead for the greatest track cyclist of all time?
“Oh, plenty! I want to reclaim that world record someday (currently held by Richardson, who sprinted the flying 200 meters last August in 8.857 seconds, ed.). It just has to be done. But next week at the European Championships, it won’t happen. Why not? It’s on the same track indeed. But I would have to prepare the European Championships differently. The biggest difference is that Richardson did it in summer. Now it’s much colder, and that’s a huge difference.”

Can you explain to me why that difference in temperature makes such a difference?
“To break the world record, you have to ride above eighty kilometers per hour. The only thing fighting against us is air resistance. That’s what holds us back. Air resistance affects speed up to Mach 3. The faster you go, the heavier the air resistance becomes. This track in Turkey is, I believe, at 1000 meters altitude. The air is thinner there, which means the air literally has less density. Every square meter of air you cycle through contains fewer particles pushing back on us. 

When the air is also warmer, those particles move faster. So they more easily get out of your way. You see this in other sports too. Above fifty kilometers per hour, it often comes down to the conditions. Also in speed skating, for example. That’s why it’s so important. For sprint races, Keirin, and Team sprint, it doesn’t matter. You race your opponent in the same conditions. But when talking about the world record, those very same conditions make all the difference.”

Is it impossible next week then?
“You never know! (laughs) I haven’t ridden on this track in Turkey before. And I’m not prepared at all to break the record. In my preparation, I did full team sprint training sessions and no 200 meters work. It’s always possible, but I don’t think so. My main goal is to explore this track in Konya because, as I said: that world record must come back.”

Lavreysen in action in Konya earlier this week - photo: photo press agency Cor Vos[/caption]

When do you see that chance?
“Of course, it’s not about a title; nothing is at stake. It’s a prestige thing. It seems like 2027 is a good moment to try it once. You have to train insanely hard for half a year, and then I can carry that on to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. That’s why I really see this European Championships as an exploration. This track is at altitude, the air pressure is lower, and the curves here are really high. About eight to nine meters, whereas Apeldoorn, for example, is only six meters. In a flying event – where you start from the top – you get that drop downward as extra speed. That’s how you can clock a very fast time.

That’s why this track in Konya is great for breaking the world record. But take Aguascalientes in Mexico, where Jeffrey Hoogland has been. There you ride even easier because that track is at even higher altitude. You have such a track in Bolivia too, but it’s not safe there. We can’t go there. So there are multiple options. But I find it a challenge to take back the world record on the very track where Richardson did it.”

How are you currently?
“I’m about one kilogram heavier than usual. But last year, it was two or three kilos heavier than normal, and I immediately started flying at the European Championships. I think that will happen again, although of course, it’s somewhat a hope for good legs. You never know. But I want to remain undefeated in the Sprint. I have been since 2021 (Lavreysen did not compete in 2022, ed.). But that will be tough, I can tell already. Only that is the goal. The Keirin doesn’t bother me much.”

Are you more afraid of Richardson now, since you’re not prepared at your best?
“Actually yes. Almost always, when I race against him, I was in top form and at full strength. Now that’s not the case. So it will be really different.”

Lavreysen became Olympic champion at the expense of Richardson, who at the time still competed for Australia - photo: photo press agency Cor Vos[/caption]