A futuristic look. Giro, the new helmet partner of the Team Visma team | Lease a Bike by Jonas Vingegaard and Wout Van Aert wasted no time in making waves. During the 1st stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, a 10 km time trial in Lido di Camaiore, this Monday, the Danish double winner of the Tour de France landed on the launch ramp wearing a spectacular helmet . Determined to write a new chapter in the history of the helmet in cycling, going from the tube helmet in the 1940s to the profiled helmet of Francesco Moser in 1984. Before seeing technology take over the search for aerodynamics which includes bikes, wetsuits…
“It’s a new way of thinking about the aerodynamics of a helmet. We really think we have found a real improvement in our system for lap times,” explained Paul Martens, the helmet’s equipment manager, in L’Equipe. Dutch team. Staying within the rule: 45 cm long and 21 cm high.
“Cycling is, along with Formula 1, one of the most connected sports. We have GPS, we analyze pedaling frequency… The idea is to see everything. Temperature and seasons can have an influence on performance. We must treat them, bring out artificial intelligence. We can study the power profile, the fatigue level. What makes the difference is the physiological, biomechanical dimension, the psychological, physical aspects, we’re sweeping wide. Our work is evolving to be more detailed, even on detection, to look for rider profiles”, summarized Frédéric Grappe, the performance director of the Groupama-FDJ team, a few months ago while strolling through the race complex. optimization of the team’s sporting performance, located in Besançon.
The futuristic parade, Star Wars style, was not to the taste of all observers and actors. Some saw it as Daft Punk, others as an insane escalation: “I’m not saying these time trial helmets are horrible. I’m just saying that it’s a good time to stop cycling,” said Belgian Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Dstny) on X.
Jonas Vingegaard finished 9th (at 22”) in a time trial dominated by Juan Ayuso, the young Spaniard from UAE Emirates.
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