Got what it takes to break the world speed record?

Comprised of students from TU Delft and the VU Amsterdam, the team has been developing and racing aerodynamic recumbent bicycles for the last five years. In 2013, their pilot, Sebastiaan Bowier managed to reach a top speed of 133.78 km/h in the VeloX 3 – the fastest speed of any human being, travelling solely on his or her own power. Now, the team is preparing to set a new world record during the World Human Powered Speed Challenge at Nevada’s Battle Mountain in September 2015.

“We are looking for speed freaks who want to pilot –well, pedal, mainly– our VeloX V up to and beyond record-breaking speeds!” said Dylan Kreynen, Public Relations Officers of the Human Power Team. Prospective candidates must be at a least 1.80 meters tall with a (EU) shoe size no larger than 43 and have serious ambition. “Experience with recumbent cycling is a significant advantage, but definitely not a prerequisite,” Kreynen added. “Both men and women who match this description are welcome to apply.”

Interested candidates are required to fill-out a short questionnaire for pre-selection before being invited to try-out for the team at the VU Amsterdam. There, the applicants will be measured, weighed, interviewed and asked to undergo rigorous testing. Two test protocols will be used to determine their eligibility: a simulated world record attempt and an endurance stress test with a breathalyzer. The trials will be conducted throughout the month of December.

The chosen candidate will be trained to pilot the new VeloX V. Developed at TU Delft, the recumbent bicycle is the latest and fastest model in the Human Power Team’s high-tech line of racing machines. “We are now in the early stages of the detailed design phase, with the start of production planned for February,” Kreynen said. “Our aim is to compete and challenge our own world speed record at the World Human Powered Speed Challenge. If selected, the candidate can expect a year of training under professional coaching [at the VU Amsterdam] and a chance to become the fastest, self-powered human being on earth.”

If you think you have what it takes to break the world speed record, send in your application to sport@hptdelft.nl. For more information on The Human Power Team, visit http://www.hptdelft.nl.