Tadej Pogačar typically dominates races and is the favorite for the Giro d’Italia however he and his UAE Team Emirates squad go away little to likelihood, searching for out each potential marginal achieve. This contains the crew’s Colnago race bikes, element choice and optimised biomechanics.
Since turning skilled in 2019, Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates have progressively developed and perfected their gear decisions to search out weight saving, higher efficiencies and marginal beneficial properties.
UAE Team Emirates switched from rim brakes to disc brakes, with Pogačar sometimes switching between the 2 to have a lighter bike for the climbs. The crew then invested a big sum on impartial wind tunnel testing to create one of the best wheel and body mixture.
Colnago developed the V4Rs primarily based on Pogačar’s suggestions and in 2023 the entire crew switched from Campagnolo to Shimano groupsets and partnered with Enve for his or her wheels and Continental for tubeless tyres. Pogačar and different riders typically favor the 28mm Continental GP 5000 TT tyre as a substitute of the Grand Prix 5000 S TR relying on the race circumstances.
The bikes are additionally fitted with an aerodynamic carbon fibre one-piece cockpit. These had been initially from Colnago however Pogačar seems to be utilizing the Enve SES AR mannequin this 12 months.
According to Italian journal Bicisport, in recent times, Pogačar swapped from a 50 cm to a 48.5cm body and has narrowed his cockpit width from 42cm to 37cm with a two-centimetre flare, because the pattern for slender bars turned increasingly more common.
He now all the time races with a Met Manta aero helmet and huge face-covering Scicon sun shades. Tuscany model Piesse offers race clothes and skinsuits.
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This 12 months Pogačar additionally switched from 170mm to 165mm cranks for Strade Bianche, which he gained with a 80km solo assault, to apparently assist enhance his cadence, the load on his leg muscle tissue and aerodynamics.
Bicisport counsel that Pogačar had already swapped from 172.5mm to 170mm cranks in 2023 and opted for an additional discount in crank size after altering to 165mm cranks on his time trial bike.
Pogačar’s newest marginal achieve is an uncommon 55 x 40 chainring choice, with small Italian model Carbon-Ti creating particular chainrings particularly for Pogačar.
According to the BiciPro web site, Pogačar used the 55-tooth carbon chainring for the primary time at Milan-San Remo and used it to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège. UAE Team Emirates additionally use steel-carbon disc brake rotors to assist save a couple of grammes.
Pogačar used a 54 Carbon-Ti CarboRing chainring in 2023 when he gained the Tour of Flanders after which requested a 55×40 set-up for 2024.
“Tadej requested for it, he is aware of what he needs and everybody naturally tries to assist him,” Marco Monticone, the Product Manager of Carbon-Ti informed BiciPro.
“We first spoke to the crew throughout the Tour de France they usually wished an even bigger chainring to have an even bigger gear ratio, particularly for the quick descents. I believe it was a technique to tackle a few of their rivals who’ve a ten-tooth sprocket.”
Carbon-Ti needed to completely redesign their chainring set-up to create a 55×40 mixture, utilizing 3D design and new CNC machine settings.
The construction of the chainring is constructed from carbon fibre, with the enamel CNC machined from aluminium. Carbon-Ti says the width and form of the outer chainring helps harpoon the chain between the chainrings for exact up-shifts and down-shifts. The chainrings are appropriate with each Shimano and SRAM cranks and gears.
BiciPro revealed that UAE Team Emirates have now ordered the 55×40 CarboRing set-up for all its riders however they may quickly be on sale to the general public, with the 55 CarboRing costing €249.00. Inner chainrings value €186.00.
Rival groups have apparently additionally proven curiosity, however with Carbon-Ti being a small firm primarily based close to Brescia, there’s a ready checklist of 4 to 5 months.
“At the second the 55×40 set-up is solely for UAE Team Emirates as a result of we’re an official provider to the crew however when it goes on sale to the general public, anybody should purchase them,” Monticone of Carbon-Ti stated.
“Bahrain Victorious, Decathlon and Jayco-AlUla have requested to purchase them and Decathlon made a big order, so I’m certain folks will quickly see them on their bikes.”