It is official: 91-year-old Carl Grove from Bristol, Indiana, has broken the World Hour Record (UCI) for the 90+ age category. Carl is a multiple-time U.S. and World Champion in time trial and select track events.
Carl made his successful attempt at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Velodrome on Tuesday August 6, besting both the 85-90 age category record of 34.095 kilometers (21.186 miles) and the targeted 90-95 age category record of 29.278 kilometers (18.193 miles) by completing 34.498 kilometers (21.436 miles) during his one-hour effort.
“I am overjoyed!” stated Grove after learning his official numbers. “I really wanted to show the world what us seniors can do and think this was a pretty good effort, not bad for an old guy! I think it is important that people get the message: stay active as you get older, keep doing the things you love, and anything is possible.”
Grove’s efforts were supported by his long-time friend and training partner, Bruce Gordon, and his coach, Kathy Watts, both of whom were present and helped Carl in his record-setting performance.
“He is so amazing,” praises Kathy Watts. “He trains hard, does the work he needs to do to stay fit, and was very focused for this record attempt. To see him not only surpass the old record but exceed it by over 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) was amazing!”
In addition to the hour record, Grove went on to set another national record on Thursday, August 8, at Masters Nationals in Colorado Springs. He crushed the current 90+ time trial record by 6 minutes with a time of 32:59 for the 20k event.
Grove’s cycling career is not without controversy. He was previously stripped of a world record after a failed drug test. Usada admitted that Carl Grove’s failed test was probably due to his inadvertent consumption of contaminated meat but said that it still had to issue him with a public warning, the least serious punishment available.
Grove told the Associated Press that he believes taxpayers’ money would be better spent on catching more serious offenders. “Us old guys are kind of like peanuts. I think that they’re wasting their time,” he said. “What can I gain at 90 years old doing drugs? Tell me, I just don’t know. So I think that somewhere there ought to be a cutoff and they ought to zero in on the stuff that is done for money reasons or whatever it may be. But I think after 65 or 70, you know, they ought to just give up.”
Grove tested positive for epitrenbolone, a metabolite of banned substance trenbolon, at last year’s US Masters Track National Championships, where he won the the 90-94 age group sprint title. The former United States Navy Band saxophonist, who played for US presidents during his time in the armed forces, said the decision had initially hurt him, but he ultimately decided to move on and pursue new records.