As experts like Dan Bigham of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe have said repeatedly, aerodynamic findings can be highly individual. Just because Visma-Lease a bike's Matteo Jorgenson was extremely fast with his new one-piece Vision handlebar extension riser (pictured below) doesn’t mean that everyone with a Cervelo P5 should rush out and buy one to go a bit quicker.
While looking at pro time trialing setups doesn’t give a shopping list to ride faster, it does provide insights on trends. We took a look around the paddock of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes team time trial to see where the pros and their performance teams are looking to eke out extra speed.
1X: Risk vs reward
Nearly every team was using single-chainring drivetrains at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes TTT on Tuesday, but Netcompany-Ineos had the most high-profile chain drops. Both Sam Watson and Oscar Onley threw their chains in key moments, potentially costing them the win.
Dane Cash
Their Pinarello Bolides were fitted with K-Edge chain guides and narrow-wide chainrings. Team mechanics were overheard debating the potential cause, but it was chalked up to bad luck. Could we see them use Shimano’s gravel GRX rear derailleurs at the Tour de France to hold the chain on tighter? Probably not, but a solution is needed.
Handlebar Extensions
The most notable personalization across the peloton was in the handlebar extensions. It has become a real arms race across the peloton (pun intended). Some riders have complete custom one-off arm cups and extensions. Some have new models that aren’t yet released.
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