AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands - Students at two Dutch universities who teamed up with coatings experts from AkzoNobel broke the world speed record for a human-powered vehicle at the World Human Powered Speed Challenge.

The Human Power Team from Delft Technical University and the Free University of Amsterdam exceeded the current record with their VeloX3 recumbent bicycle, which features an ultra-light coating developed by the company’s Sikkens brand. According to an article by bikeradar.com, the team broke the existing record, held by Canadian Sam Whittingham, by 0.6 km/h. The vehicle recorded a speed of 133.78 kmh at the event.

Calling on the sort of expertise that is already helping the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 team to increase aerodynamic performance and track speed, Sikkens partnered with the Human Power Team to supply an innovative coating that has improved the VeloX3's air resistance by 14 percent.

"We regard this as a unique opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise with these students, who have already been working very hard on this fantastic project for almost a year," said Marc Michelsen, Communications & Sustainability Director at AkzoNobel's Automotive and Aerospace Coatings business.

"These talented scientists give us a unique opportunity to look at questions in a new way and to work together to devise solutions that may have a positive impact on the day-to-day lives of our customers."