He’s done it again! Toronto’s Jack Burke has taken another Strava KOM, this time on one of the most legendary climbs in cycling: Alpe d’Huez. He claimed the record on Nov. 11 from none other than 2023 Vuelta a España winner, American Sepp Kuss. Strava has verified the result.
Burke beat Kuss’s previous record of 36:05 by nine seconds, clocking in at 35:56. He averaged 420 W with a heart rate of 178 bpm.
An incredible ride up the Alpe
In his post, Burke wrote: “Alpe d’Huez KOM. I’ve done everything I can, and that I can be proud of. I’m still trying to chase my dream. I just want a chance to compete against the best.”
Jack Burke recently shattered a five-year-old Strava KOM on Italy’s legendary Mortirolo climb, overtaking none other than Tour de France and Giro d’Italia champion Vincenzo Nibali. Burke, born in Toronto, beat the Italian’s record by a full minute. In his Strava post, he expressed hope the feat would help him secure a WorldTour contract.
“I just want a chance at the WT. Anyone, anywhere, anytime. I’ll do whatever you want, I just want a chance against the best guys,” he wrote, adding a playful challenge: “Pogi, I’m coming for your Madone.”
Burke’s career hasn’t been without controversy. After winning Stage 3 of the 2013 Tour de l’Abitibi, he tested positive for a trace amount of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a banned diuretic. The quantity detected was minuscule—less than a billionth of a gram—and his defence argued it could have come from contaminated water in Malartic, Que., where the race occurred.
Despite the initial charge, Burke was cleared twice: first by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada in September 2013 and later by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in July 2014, after the UCI appealed. His case, involving prominent sports law experts, drew international attention due to its connection to elite cycling.
Currently riding for the club team Above & Beyond Cancer Cycling p/b Bike World, Burke has raced for several Continental teams, including Leopard Pro Cycling, Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis, Aevolo, and H&R Block Pro Cycling. His biggest career victory to date is Stage 2 of the 2018 Tour de Beauce.
Burke rode the all-new Scott Addict RC to take the KOM.
Check out the video of his record-breaking ride below.
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