In this video I dive into all the behind-the-scenes bits on time-trial day, including which smart trainers they use. However, realistically, it’s actually quite a bit more than that in this video. I look at an interesting new trend in how the warm-ups are done, as well as some of the crazy cooling gear athletes and teams use. Plus, what happens step-by-step from when a rider steps out of the team van and to their trainer, all the way up to the starting line.
Interestingly, this is the first year we’ve seen a trainer in the technical zone that’s not from one of the big legacy trainer makers (Wahoo/Garmin-Tacx/Elite/Saris), so that was kinda fun to check out. Here’s the full listing of exactly what they’re riding, with all of these highlighted in the full walk-through video above:
Elite Teams:
AG2R Citroën Team: Elite Suito
Arkéa–Samsic: Elite Suito
Israel–Premier Tech: Elite Suito
Cofidis: Elite Direto XR
Groupama–FDJ: Elite Justo
Intermarché–Circus–Wanty: Elitę Suito
Movistar Team: Elite Suito
Team Bahrain Victorious: Elite Suito
Team DSM–Firmenich: Elite Justo
Team Jayco–AlUla: Elite Suito
UAE Team Emirates: Elite Justo
Tacx (Garmin) Teams:
Astana Qazaqstan Team: Tacx NEO 2T
Ineos Grenadiers: Tacx NEO 2T
Lotto–Dstny: Tacx NEO 2T
Soudal–Quick-Step: Tacx NEO 2T
Team Jumbo–Visma: Tact NEO2T
Team TotalEnergies: Tacx NEO 2T
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team: Tacx NEO 2T
Wahoo Teams:
Bora–Hansgrohe: Wahoo KICKR V6
EF Education–EasyPost: Wahoo KICKR V5/V6
Lidl–Trek: Wahoo KICKR V6 + Wahoo ROLLR
Zwift Teams:
Alpecin–Deceuninck: Zwift Hubs
Interestingly and totally unrelated, this was one of the quietest years I’ve seen in the technical zone at a TdF time trial day. I’m not sure if it was because everyone was simply out on the course, or perhaps the location, or what. Ironically, it was BY FAR the most spectator-friendly technical zone setup for a TT stage I’ve seen in years. It varies by every single stage/day/town layout, and is often just a product of available land for all the team buses. But someone could have shot the same video as me from the sidelines without a media pass – a rarity most days. Still, there were very few people around. TV coverage does seem to indicate most were up on the course.
In any case – enjoy the video!
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Ancient history now, but one stage of the 2011 USA Pro Challenge I spectated at was the ITT starting in the Garden of the Gods in CO Spgs. You could walk around among the team busses and watch the likes of Cadel Evans, The Schleck Bros, George Hincapie, and Levi Leipheimer warming up from a few meters away. The pits were totally open so you could walk up and chat up mechanics working on bikes, closely inspect the bikes and gear, look into the team trucks. Then you could walk along the road with the riders and team cars as they made their way to the starting house, and watch rider launch from a couple of meters away. AND, there was plenty of time to do all that as they were there the whole day with strung out start times of an ITT.
Pretty incredible walkthrough!! Did the riders wear the ice vests through the TT, or remove them right before it starts?
Any word on a newer version of the TACX NEO 2T?
What was the breakdown of the KICKR vs ROLLR usage for Lidl-Trek? When did they use which?
They just had one ROLLR there, and I think I saw four KICKR there. They seemed to almost exclusively be using KICKR, except once I walked by and there was a bike on the ROLLR.
Are you visiting the Tour de Femmes time trial stage as well?
Would be fair, right? 😁