Not only that: thanks to a belt connected to the wheel It was also possible to move the mannequin’s legsto simulate a pedal stroke with clear benefits compared to standing still. In the meantime, the real runner could continue training on the road, returning to the wind tunnel when necessary and focusing on preparation. “Stefan was involved in all phases of the project – said Julien Pinot, Sports Director at Groupama FDJ – he is very passionate about technology and technique and willingly lent himself to the purpose, collaborating with all departments and offering many ideas. He has come through well since last year’s accident.” The reference is to the scary clash with the barriers at the European championships, which fortunately left no consequences.
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In total, two prototypes were created, kg of materials were consumed with Selective Laser Sintering type 3D printers, over 50 hours of computer simulation and spent 30 hours in wind tunnels of Silverstone (UK) and the velodrome in Switzerland. “Here at the Tour there are high-tech, cutting-edge products – Andrea Gastaldello, president of Wilier Triestina, commented to us – and with these products we hope to help the athletes with whom we have been collaborating for a long time to obtain the best results“.
With great power comes great responsibility
However, all these improvements in terms of technology require more awareness in the choice of running strategies, because the margins of error are much lower. This season there have already been many crashes and less skilled riders may suffer from the innovations, unlike the more experienced riders who will benefit enormously from them. Küng agrees: “True, especially for time trial bikes where the posture and the way of holding the handlebars and the extensions is completely different compared to a traditional bike. For us professionals who pedal for thousands of km it is possible to tackle all the curves like with road bikes, but for a normal person, even if they know how to ride a bike, it might not be so easy to handle a vehicle like that”.
