{"id":45804,"date":"2023-01-17T17:59:53","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T16:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=713297"},"modified":"2023-01-17T19:34:12","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T18:34:12","slug":"extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue\/","title":{"rendered":"Extreme positions, time trial wheels and big helmets at the Tour Down Under prologue"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Simon von Bromley\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 17 January 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

The 2023 Tour Down Under kicked off the WorldTour racing season last night with a prologue time trial.<\/p>\n

Given the impractical logistics and cost implications of shipping dedicated time trial bikes<\/a> halfway around the world for a single, 5.5km stage, the race organisers decided to make it a road bike-only affair.<\/p>\n

As you might imagine, this led to some unusual tech choices.<\/p>\n

From disc wheels on road bikes, to big aero helmets, narrow handlebars<\/a> and aggressively turned-in brake levers, let\u2019s take a look at some of the tricks riders used to go as fast as possible on a road bike<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Disc-brake disc wheels on road bikes and other time trial kit<\/h2>\n
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Most riders opted for a solid rear disc wheel and a deep section front wheel or a tri-spoke.<\/span><\/figcaption> BRENTON EDWARDS\/AFP via Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Though usually the reserve of time trial bikes, most riders used solid rear-disc wheels on their team-issue aero road bikes<\/a> for this prologue.<\/p>\n

With the parcours being essentially pan-flat, weight was evidently not a concern and most riders simply chose the most aerodynamic setup possible (within the constraints of what their teams were willing to send to Australia).<\/p>\n

Many riders also ran time trial-specific front wheels.<\/p>\n

Ethan Hayter, as well as a number of his Team Ineos Grenadiers teammates, used the Princeton Mach 7580 TS front wheel \u2013 a tri-spoke carbon wheel first spotted at the 2022 Tour de France<\/a> on Filippo Ganna\u2019s Pinarello Bolide F time trial bike<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Ethan Hayter paired a rear disc wheel with a tri-spoke on the front.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

As expected, every rider we saw was wearing a skinsuit and most also wore aero socks<\/a> or overshoes.<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, though, not everyone opted for a time trial-specific helmet.<\/p>\n

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Maximilian Schachmann and his Team Bora \u2013 Hansgrohe teammates wore the Specialized S-Works TT5 time trial helmet.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While the distinctively oversized Specialized S-Works TT5<\/a> was out in full force on the heads of Specialized-sponsored riders, some riders went with standard road helmets.<\/p>\n

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Marc Brustenga of Team Trek \u2013 Segafredo was wearing an unreleased Trek aero road helmet.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Marc Brustenga of Team Trek \u2013 Segafredo, for example, opted for an as-yet-unreleased Trek aero road helmet<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Fabio Felline opted for a more traditional, vented road helmet.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Fabio Felline, of Astana Qazaqstan Team, meanwhile, even opted for the heavily-vented Limar Airpro, instead of the brand\u2019s more streamlined Air Atlas aero road helmet or Air King time trial helmet.<\/p>\n

Perhaps Felline (who finished in 94th place, out of 139 starters) was simply more concerned with keeping a cool head, than ultimate speed. It can get very hot in the summer down under, after all.<\/p>\n

Turned-in brake hoods<\/h2>\n
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Iv\u00e1n Romeo of Team Movistar was one of many using heavily turned-in brake levers during the prologue.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Anyone who has been following pro cycling in recent years will have noticed many riders now turn their shifters slightly inwards.<\/p>\n

Riders do this in a bid to create a narrower \u2013 and, theoretically, more aerodynamic \u2013 position on an otherwise standard drop handlebar (it\u2019s been shown that riding with your hands on the hoods and with horizontal forearms <\/a>can be very aerodynamically efficient).<\/p>\n

Current men\u2019s UCI Road World Champion, Remco Evenepoel, is widely credited with kick-starting this craze.<\/p>\n

Perhaps as a result of his success, it\u2019s increasingly being adopted across the board, with some extreme examples on display in this prologue.<\/p>\n

While the UCI recently introduced new rules<\/a> limiting the minimum width of road bike handlebars to 350mm (when measured outside to outside), there are currently no regulations surrounding brake lever angle or specifying a minimum width between the two brake hoods.<\/p>\n

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Taco Van Der Hoorn\u00a0 (Team Intermarche-Circus-Wanty)\u00a0 used a 38cm handlebar with the brake hoods turned in aggressively.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Taking advantage of this loophole, Taco van der Hoorn\u2019s Cube Litening C:68X TE<\/a> has a UCI-legal 38cm handlebar, but the brake hoods are tilted inwards to offer an effective hand width of just 30cm.<\/p>\n

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Pello Bilbao of Team Bahrain Victorious pulled out all the stops in search of a fast position on his road bike.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Pello Bilbao, of team Team Bahrain Victorious, adopted the most extreme interpretation of this rule.<\/p>\n

Using an already narrow handlebar, Bilbao\u2019s Shimano Dura-Ace Di2<\/a> STI levers were tilted inwards as far as possible.<\/p>\n

As we weren\u2019t there to measure them, it\u2019s impossible to know exactly how far apart Bilbao\u2019s brake hoods were. But if van der Hoorn\u2019s hoods are 30cm apart, we reckon Bilbao\u2019s could be in the low 20s \u2013 sis hands are in such a narrow position they\u2019re almost touching either side of his Garmin Edge bike computer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How much difference did it make? It\u2019s hard to tell. All else being equal, narrower does tend to equal faster.<\/p>\n

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Nikias Arndt (Team Bahrain Victorious), who finished 11th, also used a narrow handlebar with his brake levers turned in.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Bilbao, though, ultimately finished in 25th place, some 20 seconds behind stage winner Alberto Bettoil of EF Education-EasyPost<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, though, it appears prologue winner Alberto Bettiol went so fast that he eluded race photographers during the prologue.<\/p>\n

Pictures of his bike from the Schwalbe Classic Men\u2019s Elite criterium on the weekend show Bettiol also has his brake hoods tilted in slightly, albeit on a more \u2018normal\u2019 width handlebar compared to Bilbao.<\/p>\n

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Prologue winner, Alberto Bettiol of Team EF Education-EasyPost (pictured during the 2023 Schwalbe Classic Men\u2019s Elite criterium), also rides with his brake levers tiled in slightly, but not in such an extreme style.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Illegal forearm support?<\/h2>\n

Notably, many of the riders adopting these extreme positions were also seen to be resting their forearms on the tops of their handlebars, while still holding the brake hoods.<\/p>\n

The UCI rules on this subject are fairly explicit \u2013 technically, this shouldn\u2019t be allowed on a road bike.<\/p>\n

As per article 2.2.205 of the UCI\u2019s regulations<\/a>, \u201cusing the forearms as a point of support on the handlebar is prohibited except in time trials.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Many of the aggressive positions adopted during the prologue appeared to be partly facilitated by using the riders forearms as a point of support, despite UCI rules stating this isn\u2019t permissible.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

But wait, you\u2019re probably thinking \u2013 \u201cthis was a time trial, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, it was. But also, maybe not\u2026<\/p>\n

If it was officially a time trial \u2013 and therefore forearm support was allowed \u2013 then surely riders would have been able to use clip-on aerobars <\/a>to make their positions even more aerodynamic?<\/p>\n

Considering no one did so, and the fact that the race organisers specifically banned TT bikes, it seems highly unlikely this would have been allowed.<\/p>\n

But then, if this event was governed by road bike rules, then surely using your forearms as a point of support shouldn\u2019t be allowed either\u2026<\/p>\n

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Julius Johansen (Team Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) was another, of many, who appeared to be resting his forearms on the tops of his handlebars for additional support.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The likely answer is this rule exists as something of a grey area, or was subject to an on-site clarification by the commissaires before the prologue began.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve previously seen riders disqualified for adopting the now-illegal \u2018puppy paws\u2019 position<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This position aims to mimic a traditional time trial position on a road bike, without the hands touching the brake hoods. However, plenty of riders have surreptitiously touched the tops of their handlebars with their forearms while adopting an aero riding position during road races, and have yet to be reprimanded for it.<\/p>\n

After all, it can be hard for a commissaire to tell in the heat of the moment whether or not a rider\u2019s forearms are simply touching the tops of the handlebars incidentally, or whether they\u2019re being used to bear the rider\u2019s weight.<\/p>\n

If riders begin to regularly adopt positions akin to Bilbao\u2019s in road races, though, we wouldn\u2019t be surprised if the UCI made a more concerted effort to enforce this rule to the letter of the law.<\/p>\n

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Is this riding position coming soon to a road race near you? Perhaps, but we don\u2019t think the UCI will be too happy about it.<\/span><\/figcaption> Tim de Waele\/Getty Images<\/i><\/span><\/div> <\/body><\/html>\n
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By Simon von Bromley Published: Tuesday, 17 January 2023 at 12:00 am The 2023 Tour Down Under kicked off the WorldTour racing season last night with a prologue time trial. Given the impractical logistics and cost implications of shipping dedicated time trial bikes halfway around the world for a single, 5.5km stage, the race organisers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":45805,"template":"","categories":[1,36],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"8"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue.jpg",2400,1600,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2023\/01\/extreme-positions-time-trial-wheels-and-big-helmets-at-the-tour-down-under-prologue-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Simon von Bromley Published: Tuesday, 17 January 2023 at 12:00 am The 2023 Tour Down Under kicked off the WorldTour racing season last night with a prologue time trial. Given the impractical logistics and cost implications of shipping dedicated time trial bikes halfway around the world for a single, 5.5km stage, the race organisers…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/45804"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}