Wout Van Aert and Ganna's high tech bikes and (secret) gear for the Olympic Games

This coming Saturday, the Olympic time trial title will be awarded in Paris, an event that excites not only the cyclists and their teams but also the equipment sponsors. They are eager to showcase their products at this special event, hoping to boast an Olympic title. What should we look out for this Saturday?

Let's start with the Belgians. "To start at Paris 2024 with the best possible time trial suit, the BOIC (Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee) and Belgian Cycling invested in three custom-made dummies of Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert, and Lotte Kopecky. Bioracer, the clothing partner for Belgian Cycling and the BOIC, uses these dummies to put the final touches on the three time trial suits of the Belgian medal contenders."

"Thanks to these dummies, the time trial suits can be tailored even more precisely to the cyclist, as the dummies are more readily available than the cyclists themselves. A good suit provides the right balance between aerodynamics and support. The strategic mix of smooth fabrics and textured fabrics improves airflow while helping the cyclist maintain an aerodynamic position as long as possible. Additionally, lightweight fabrics keep the cyclist’s body temperature stable to prevent overheating," says Bioracer.

"The ‘most-tested’ clothing manufacturer is also a founding partner of the Bike Valley wind tunnel, where the three dummies are used to their full advantage," the brand continues. "Conducting wind tunnel tests with such dummies offers significant advantages over tests with the cyclists themselves. More tests can be performed, and the position of the dummy on the bike remains constant, which leads to more accurate results. Bioracer has previously successfully tested with a time trial dummy of Tony Martin and a speed skating dummy of Bart Swings."

"Wout Van Aert will tackle the time trial on his P5 time trial bike from Cervélo, which the bike brand launched prior to the first time trial of the Tour de France. 'The new P5 is built on thirty years of expertise in aerodynamics. Cervélo has once again developed the fastest time trial bike. The frame is stiff, aerodynamic, and has been designed to accommodate faster wheels and tires. The geometry remains exactly the same as the previous P5,' the brand stated.

What can we expect from this new model? Cervélo neatly outlined the details:

• The new P5 is about 5 watts faster than its predecessor. The power gain mainly comes from the new Reserve 77/88 wheels.
• The space between the rear stays has been increased to accommodate a new generation of wider, faster wheels.
• The stack is now adjustable up to 40 mm, while the height of the TT handlebar has been lowered by 10 mm, minimizing the frontal area.
• The new riser increases adjustability, from 0 to 30 degrees, in 5-degree increments.
• The new P5 frame is about 1 watt faster and more aerodynamic than the previous model.

Pinarello also unveils new bike for INEOS Grenadiers riders

The best-represented team on Saturday in Paris is INEOS Grenadiers, fielding five riders: Joshua Tarling (Great Britain), Filippo Ganna (Italy), Magnus Sheffield (United States), Tobias Foss (Norway), and Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland). Ganna and Tarling, along with Evenepoel, are among the top favorites, and Sheffield is also a medal contender on a good day.

Such caliber of riders obviously needs top-notch bikes, something the Italian bike brand Pinarello has diligently provided. Last week, it introduced the Bolide F TT as the new speed demon, with the explicit hope that one of the riders on this equipment will clinch gold. "This new bike features further reduction in air resistance and a significant reduction (350 grams) in total weight, but design and functionality are once again combined in a unique shape."

"Immediately evident are the new concave downtube, which reduces turbulence, and the sloping top tube, a new rear brake cover, which incorporates the technologies of the aviation industry; the aerodynamic front dropouts, each contributing to further aerodynamic improvement," proudly states the Italian brand.

Other contenders have also thought about their equipment. For instance, Swiss cyclist Stefan Küng will appear at the start on the Wilier Triestina Supersonica SLR, which he claims is the fastest bike he's ever ridden. "In my opinion, it's the most advanced bike at the moment. The first time I got to ride it, I couldn't wait to start racing with it. Maybe this bike will help me make that step to a big victory."

True to his Australian roots, Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla) is also looking forward to the Olympic time trial. The young rider is excited about the entire Olympic event but also wants to perform well on Saturday. "Somehow, I always struggled in European time trials, but I couldn't figure out why. Now that I've had several good performances (including in the Giro, ed.), it gives me a lot of confidence. With time trial coach Marco Pinotti, we're doing well, and that builds confidence for the time trials," Plapp said, who gave a sneak peek of his custom-made gear for Saturday on social media.