The biking occasions on the Paris Olympics start this Saturday with the particular person time trials, and as at all times, when the stakes are excessive, the tech good points come to the fore.
Earlier this week, riders set out on their recons of the 32.4km city-centre course, all below the watchful eye of photographers. Right here at Biking Weekly, we have scrutinised the pictures to pick some tech insights we would see in the course of the race.
From a uncommon entrance disc wheel, to brand-new paint jobs, here is a taster of what to look out for.
Wout van Aert’s entrance disc
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Wout van Aert made headlines yesterday when he took to the time trial course operating a twin disc wheel set-up. Regardless of providing a smoother air circulate in nonetheless circumstances, entrance discs could be notoriously tough to manage in crosswinds, and are for that purpose very hardly ever used on the highway.
Talking to Sporza, Van Aert defined that he is not sure to make use of the disc wheel.
“It is undoubtedly an choice,” he stated. “We have been getting ready for this for some time. It is tremendous quick, however the correct circumstances are wanted.
“We’ll determine on Saturday. It primarily is dependent upon the wind, as a result of you might have to have the ability to hold your bike below management,” the Belgian added. “I used to be completely satisfied after I noticed the course, as a result of there may be loads of shelter, so it might be an choice, regardless that it appears to be like uncommon.”
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Josh Tarling, Group GB’s medal hope for the occasion, was unconvinced by the selection when requested about it in his press convention on Thursday. “It is intelligent if he thinks there is a achieve in it. If he is examined it, then go for it,” the Brit stated.
“I do know the primary and final 5 kilometres are bumpy, and so harsh on a disc wheel. I’ve by no means ridden one exterior however I am certain the corners will not be wonderful on it both. As a result of the corners are quick, you’ll want to actually take advantage of out of them.”
Pinarello’s new Bolide F TT
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
There’s going to be a brand new incarnation of Pinarello’s Bolide F TT bike in Paris, utilized by riders akin to Magnus Sheffield, Filippo Ganna, and Tarling.
The bike, unveiled by the Italian producer final week, claims to have a 2.28% CdA discount in comparison with its earlier design, that means aerodynamic drag is decrease – albeit by a slim margin.
A part of the best way the model has achieved this, it says, is thru its ‘AeroNodes’ – the small ridges that go down the seat tube – which are borrowed from its observe bike, the Bolide F HR. These AeroNodes are stated to “cut back the complicated vortexes generated by riders’ leg actions” and are impressed by the tubercules on the flippers of humpback wales.
(Picture credit score: Pinarello)
Stefan Küng’s Willier Supersonica
(Picture credit score: Tom Davidson)
Like the brand new Pinarello Bolide F TT, Willier’s lately launched Supersonica SLR guarantees important aero enhancements – 16% greater than its earlier mannequin, in keeping with the model.
Developed in simply 9 months, the bike was launched in June this 12 months with a hefty price ticket beginning at €20,5000 (£17,280). It was ridden by Groupama-FDJ’s Stefan Küng on the Tour de France, and the Swiss rider was noticed utilizing it once more in his recons of the Olympic course in Paris.
One of many bike’s extra distinctive parts is its built-in bottle cage, which requires a particular, rectangular bottle, and is usually seen in triathlon. It is all a part of making the machine a quick, cohesive unit, with as little airflow disruption as attainable.
(Picture credit score: Tom Davidson)
Group GB’s particular skinsuits
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Delivered to our consideration by Cyclingspy on Instagram, the fabric on the Group GB skinsuits is worthy of nearer inspection.
As proven within the image above, Tarling’s forearms look like wrapped in a shiny, clean material. This materials might be latex or silicone, and regardless of being branded as Adidas, might have been made by one other producer, akin to bespoke model Vorteq, who’re identified to be working with the Group GB observe workforce on the Video games.
The specified impact of the fabric, finally, is to go sooner. Monitor sprinter Jeffrey Hoogland used related materials, impressed by speedskating fits, throughout his kilometre time trial world file in a bid to scale back drag at larger speeds.
The GB skinsuits, likewise, search to manage airflow with a waved texture on the higher arm, probably achieved by layering two materials.
Specialised’s Paris paint jobs
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Specialised might not have given their riders new fashions for the Olympic time trials, however the American model has supplied recent paintwork. These utilizing S-Works Shiv TT bikes, akin to Demi Vollering and Remco Evenepoel, will race with particular paint jobs which have a nod to sustainability.
The design comes as Specialised celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, and symbolises the model’s mission to attempt for a greater planet.
Vollering shared close-up photos on her Instagram, revealing the phrase “pedal the planet ahead” printed on her bike’s prime tube.
For extra details about the Paris Olympic Video games time trials, go to our detailed hub web page, which supplies all the pieces you’ll want to know to observe the motion.
