Veteran Southland cyclist Peter Grandiek hopes to kickstart the 2016 Oceania Track Cycling Championships in Invercargill on Thursday with a record ride.
While there will be plenty of attention on international riders like Anna Meares and Hayden Roulston as the championships get under way, 83-year-old Grandiek will be attempting to carve his name into the record books with a "world best".
Cycling doesn't recognise world records at masters level, so it will be a world best Grandiek is aiming for in his one-hour track ride in the 80-84 years category on Thursday.
He will be trying to beat the 28.388km set last year by 84-year-old Sidney Schuman, in London.
The Southland-based rider has already beaten Schuman's record, with a distance of 29.634km at the SIT Velodrome in February. But while the ride is a New Zealand record, it wasn't officially recognised as a world best record.
This time Grandiek's record attempt will be official, with a range of protocols undertaken by UCI officials who are in Invercargill for the Oceania Track Cycling Championships, including drug testing.
"The UCI officials will be there so if I break the record, I will be drug tested and then it will be recognised as a world best record," he said.
Breaking the record won't be easy for Grandiek, who has had to overcome some serious challenges.
He gave up cycling for a year after triple bypass surgery.
"I started riding in 2008, but I had a year off virtually straight after that for my triple bypass," he said.
"I do it every time in training, but it doesn't mean much, you have to do it on the day," he said.
Grandiek's record attempt will take place after the morning session on the first day of the Oceania Track Cycling Championships at the SIT Velodrome on Thursday.
Photo and article courtesy Stuff