There's no reason or logic to engaging folks who pass along these "my friend......" stories.

The person you're speaking to has no idea, and is only passing along the BS they heard (and believe). If you try to disabuse them of this nonsense, you end up the bad guy. So, as I posted earlier, nod politely and move on.

I don't know the terrain that the rider in question was riding, but I doubt if it had the elevation changes that were involved in the Olympic TT. Those things do slow folks down a wee bit.

I'd also guess that Cancellara would have been faster if the trailing cars would have just hopped out in front.

Rio 2016 Olympic Time Trial and Road Race: route, map and schedule - Cycling Weekly

And that's when I threw them both into the wormhole

Discounting elevation... At Eddy's hour record speed which I just looked up, 37km would take just under 45 minutes. 41 minutes with Wiggo's modern record for modern bikes.

Just get the friend to sign up for Strava. It is FREE.

Do a couple of breakneck rides across town and upload the links here. :)

Why bother? Just tell gullible friends whatever outlandish tale imaginable, who will repeat, exaggerate and/or post all about it on the Internet! No fuss, no muss. :)

There are some places where a bike is faster than a car. Squeezing past traffic at stops/lights, and riding with the traffic between lights, and as mentioned, sometimes benefiting by timing of urban lights for cars, but at a speed that bikes can barely keep up.

I'm nowhere near getting long distance average speeds of 44 KPH or 27 MPH, although I've hit the speed for a few short flatish segments, sometimes benefited by a favorable wind.

My "Downtown Run" is about 1/2 mile sprint, shooting through about a half a dozen lights, which I've hit over 24 MPH, mainly limited by traffic and the lights being timed too slow (have they slowed the timing down?). I can still keep it somewhat above 20 MPH for some longer urban segments, but I'm a slow rider.

One of the most popular Strava segments around here, rolling hills.
9.8km, 6.1 miles Eastbound
KOM: 46.1kph, 28.6 mph

9.7km, 6 mi Westbound
KOM 45.2 kph, 28.1 mph

But, this is just small town riding. The larger urban areas have much faster riders. Of course, that is a relatively short,non-stop segment which the fastest riders are finishing in 12 to 13 minutes, not an hour of riding. But many of the fast riders are averaging over 20 MPH for their entire ride.

Anyway, while these breakneck speeds may not be possible for me... they are not impossible for everyone.

Would be fast and always in search of a restroom.