ICBA to go back and check on all the kibitzing that was going on a year and more ago, but I think we all naively assumed in the early days that there couldn't possibly be two people in the world so (nicely) bonkers as to want to break this record at the same time as each other. Steve's "purist" approach was very popular, even though we were all aware that technical developments could give Steve a significant advantage over Tommy Godwin.
I suspect that we are all rather sadder and wiser men/women than we were a year ago. Assuming Kurt breaks the record and it's the Searvogel record that needs to be dealt with, I think that Steve will have to take a different approach if he is to make another serious challenge. I would think a faster bike, and allowing himself a rather higher working heart rate, so that he can up his speed a bit, will be necessary.