40 km is of course 25 miles to the nearest whole km. So this was more a change in name than in substance. Probably occurred about the time that Olympic events like the 100 yard dash changed to 100 meters, or at least when English speaking countries conformed such events to metric distances.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
> From: Todd Teachout <thteach@sonic.net>
\r?\n> Subject: [CR] ABLA/USCF Time Trial Events
\r?\n> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
\r?\n> Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 12:37 AM
\r?\n> The Amateur Bicycle League of America started the time trial
\r?\n> event as an experiment in 1973.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> A local bike club member, John Box, a British ex=pat living
\r?\n> in Muskegon, Michigan lobbied the ABLA hard between 1971 and
\r?\n> 1972 to include the event. 1973 was the trial. There were
\r?\n> state and regional events in 25 mile distance for Vets,
\r?\n> Seniors, Women, Junior and 10 miles for entrants younger
\r?\n> than 16.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> In 1974 they made it a National event in the mile
\r?\n> distances. Not exactly sure when it shifted to 40k.
\r?\n> Probably around 1976 but I'm guessing.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> The UCI did not recognize the Time Trial back then either.
\r?\n> It was the domain of England. Despite doing incredible
\r?\n> times on british soil, brit TT specialists continued to
\r?\n> suffer when confronted with the rigors of the European
\r?\n> stages and pro peloton.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I know the dates because I knew John Box and I was the
\r?\n> midwest champion in the 15 year old intermediate division.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Todd Teachout
\r?\n> Hercules, CA