Skilled highway racing is a conservative place, steeped in custom and historical past. A lot of the game’s institutional data is held by former racers and profession soigneurs and mechanics who function beneath a “that is how we’ve all the time completed it” mentality. Different biking disciplines have been faster to embrace adjustments like aerodynamic optimisation, progressive bike matches and wider tyres, however these adjustments have been gradual to catch on within the professional peloton. Will 2025 be the 12 months that these improvements start to snowball?
For instance, after remaining comparatively static for many years, professional bike matches have lastly begun altering in the previous few seasons. Saddles are shifting ahead, crank arms are shorter, and handlebar positions are narrower and longer. Briefly, highway racing positions are more and more trying like time trial positions. And, shocker: riders are quicker in these positions. Whereas they might appear groundbreaking, the very same modifications have been built-in into monitor racing for a while now—not less than the final two Olympic cycles.
One other self-discipline that has proven itself to reward early adopters is skilled gravel racing. These riders have embraced wider tyres and system-optimised aerodynamics, amongst different improvements. With that mentioned, each monitor racing and gravel function beneath completely different UCI guidelines than highway racing, which permits for extra experimentation. Regardless of this, it’s not arduous to extrapolate from the traits seen in these disciplines to discern what future improvements is likely to be coming to highway racing. A few of these are predictions, and a few are already occurring, however are prone to develop into extra commonplace.
1. Embracing textures
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A few of the most important aero developments lately have occurred by means of the implementation of floor therapies, whether or not on skinsuits with built-in boundary layer journeys, or related results generated through textured base layers. Aero socks and shoe covers have been round for some time now, however have been initially solely employed in time trials. Now, they’re worn in each race.
We’re about to see much more of this, within the type of textured shorts, gloves, arm heaters, tyre sidewalls, bike frames (the place allowable) and extra. Rim and tyre combos, like Continental and Swiss Facet’s collaboration, have begun scratching the floor, so to talk, over the past 12 months, however I anticipate these to develop additional. Pinarello’s Bolide F TT bike has a completely textured seat tube and seatpost (just like what was developed for Filippo Ganna’s Hour File bike). Frankly, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than we see the introduction of specialty aero bar tape.
2. The proliferation of aero/time trial helmets in highway racing
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Crew Visma–Lease-a-Bike tipped its hand already at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, however I anticipate aero or time trial helmets to develop into the norm in mass begin racing, besides maybe when situations are too scorching for it to make sense. Alexander Kristoff of Uno-X has been racing in a TT helmet since 2023, so this isn’t new, but it surely’s lastly catching on. It’s been broadly utilized in mass begin monitor racing for for much longer, nevertheless, the place time trial helmets are, fairly actually, outdated hat.
Time trial helmets are notoriously rider-specific, so what’s quick for one particular person received’t essentially be quick for everybody. Groups seem like investing in testing and can run no matter’s quickest (not less than of their helmet sponsor’s choices) after they pull out all of the stops for large races. In the intervening time, many of the helmets on this class usually are not very nicely ventilated, in order that they don’t make sense to make use of in heat situations. We might even see extra in the best way of ventilated and cooled TT helmets later this summer time.
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3. Separate jerseys and shorts will probably be relegated to coaching classes
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Skinsuits are already widespread for these chasing a consequence on dash levels or necessary GC days in a Grand Tour. Quickly, they would be the default for all race days, for all riders. The proportion level or two gained in slipperiness is now mandatory simply to maintain up. Not solely that, however skinsuit designs will more and more develop into optimised for particular situations, like climbing fits made to breathe whereas nonetheless going quick (and keep heat) on descents. Or designs made for chilly days with anticipated cross-winds and excessive yaw-angles as seen through the Spring Classics season.
Additional, these fits will probably be particularly tailor-made to every rider, and groups with the means to take action can acquire a bonus by investing of their clothes primarily based on the course at hand. Skinsuits are comparatively low-hanging fruit aero-wise, and the one cause this hasn’t already occurred is that testing and making particular person skinsuits for every rider is dear.
Because of this separate bibs and jerseys, historically worn by professional racers, will probably be absolutely relegated to coaching days.
4. Cockpit customisation will proliferate
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Professional cyclists usually are not like us. Their wants are completely different, and the gear they use ought to mirror that. Built-in cockpits are actually the usual on highway racing bikes (and more and more gravel and XC bikes), however the dimensions are limiting. Want 36 mm handlebars and a 125 mm stem? Good luck. Enter 3D printed cockpits, designed particularly for every rider. This expertise has been round for years (Chris Froome reportedly raced with titanium bars masquerading as carbon), however has but to be harnessed with the most recent and biggest in aerodynamic innovation.
There are Olympic monitor racers on customized 3D printed titanium handlebars, however no highway racers, not less than to my data. The UCI has its grubby arms throughout rider bar laws, however there’s wiggle room right here. As we’ve seen with TT setups over the previous few seasons, well-designed TT bars could make a major distinction in how a rider performs in races. I anticipate highway race cockpits to proceed to get personalised, not less than for staff leaders.
5. The skilled gravel scene goes to get all these improvements, and extra
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Highway biking has been borrowing from gravel improvements, the place the shortage of regulation has created alternatives for enterprising riders to push the boundaries with bike setup at races. However sensible gravel racers are additionally taking a look at highway execs and recognising the significance of issues like excessive carb fueling and refined cooling methods, along with aerodynamic updates.
As gravel will get greater, with extra money and bigger groups, we’re going to see these highway improvements get pushed even additional. TTT-style collective staff racing? Constructed-in fairings? Loopy tyre and rim combos? All of this may occur. Proper now, professional gravel racers are basically making an attempt to realize TT or monitor pursuit-style bike matches on gravel bikes that may settle for 2.4 XC tyres. Final 12 months at Unbound, Lachlan Morton received the race in an aero helmet with a skinsuit that had an built-in hydration bladder. What’s going to occur this 12 months? The sky’s the restrict
Conclusion
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A part of why professional biking is gradual to vary is aesthetics. Objectively quicker gear decisions have been scrapped as a result of they appear “foolish” or offend the nostalgia-tinged sentiment of somebody pining for stage high tubes and hairnet helmets. Most frequently, criticism leveled at new aero improvements happens as a result of it doesn’t match with somebody’s preconceived notion of what a professional bike owner ought to put on or appear to be. Savvy groups are eliminating these biases, and gaining a bonus in consequence.
It’s additionally attention-grabbing to notice that whereas aerodynamic positive factors are higher understood and accepted, pure aero efficiency doesn’t supersede usability. Two instance of this are, A) the broad avoidance of tremendous deep-section wheels, that are hardly ever used today as a result of a greater understanding of the yaw-angles racers face, and B) aero bottles, which check nicely in a wind tunnel however are logistically cumbersome for a staff to implement in a race with a number of automobiles, feed-zones, hand-ups, and so forth. Thus, aerodynamic optimisation clearly issues, however performance issues extra.
Who is aware of what’s lurking within the minds of the windtunnel junkies whispering their secrets and techniques to WorldTour bosses? Will we see these little incremental pace hacks proceed encroaching till they fade into the background, or will all of them be outdated by yet one more monumental shift that adjustments the game in some new and attention-grabbing means? The crystal ball is fickle.
