The march of the modern-day biking calendar is a relentless one. In a daily 12 months, the professional peloton swiftly races from the arid deserts of the early season Middle Eastern races to the open, gray skies of Flanders fields after which onto the excessive mountain passes of the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.
Just days in the past, the solar was setting on the seafront in Nice after seeing Tadej Pogačar topped Tour de France champion after laying waste to the race and taking his third total victory, however even earlier than the race was carried out, the eye of many within the race would already be turned to what’s subsequent.
Every 4 years, the Olympic Games roll round and slot into the biking calendar, including a captivating further dimension to an already busy season, and in a brief area of time, the open roads of the south of France shall be swapped for the depth and noise of the velodrome because the Olympic Games observe programme kicks off on the fifth of August.
The Dutch observe squad will journey to France with excessive expectations and large targets. They have excelled on the observe lately, notably within the dash occasions. The males’s staff dash squad of Jeffrey Hoogland, Harrie Lavreysen, Roy van den Berg and Matthijs Büchli are the defending European, Olympic and World Champions. Shanne Braspennincx is the defending ladies’s Olympic keirin champion, while thirteen-time world champion Harrie Lavreysen can be the reigning males’s Olympic and World Individual dash champion.
Ahead of the Games, Cyclingnews sat down with Tim de Boer, the top mechanic for the Dutch Olympic Track Cycling Team, a veteran of 4 Olympic Games and the person liable for the squad’s gear forward of the Paris Olympics for an in-depth chat on observe tech, gear and a take a look at some nuanced points of observe racing that typically go unnoticed.
De Boer finds an hour to talk while the Dutch athletes are at coaching, he is on the squad’s pre-Olympics coaching camp on the velodrome close to Stavanger, Norway. And it shortly turns into obvious the comparatively brief Olympic Track racing programme is not anyplace close to the entire story.
Velodromes throughout Europe are sizzling property within the run-up to the video games as nations battle to safe a reserving for his or her pre-Games holding camps. Sometimes nations could not get the venue they needed, as De Boer explains.
“Every different nation that is not from Europe, is in Europe in the mean time. So all of the tracks are booked. We needed to go to Grenchen [in Switzerland] however that didn’t work out in the long run.”
“There are some nations which have much more cash than we’ve. So for instance, I believe what occurred with Grenchen is that we needed to go there, after which the Kiwis needed to go there. So I believe they’ve a barely larger staff, and so they have extra finances, in order that they in all probability simply outbid.”
The dash staff discovered some worthwhile observe time on the Vår Energi Arena in Sola, Norway, although and De Boer defined all the pieces labored out in the long run.
“The observe is superb. The persons are very good. Everything’s organised right here. We obtained a little bit of the low cost, so it really works out nice.”
Tech developments and sourcing gear
The rise of the extreme-looking observe bike has been properly documented and reported on over the previous a number of years. The Hope / Lotus bike developed by Great Britain in all probability kicked off the development and De Boer cited the wide-framed observe bikes as one of many key developments in observe tech. Elsewhere, De Boer cited tubeless tyres for the staff pursuit occasions (however with interior tubes) and many raised, ‘praying mantis’ model pursuit positions.
“When the British got here out with the intense vast forks and seat stays that was clearly fairly loopy. And now a variety of international locations are copying that. Look has a motorbike like that. Now, the Japanese constructed a motorbike that is fairly related. The Factor bike has one thing related as properly.”
Dutch observe cyclists have ridden Koga bikes for a very long time, and do not use the tremendous vast frameset method. It sounds just like the staff has chosen to make thought of adjustments and upgrades in particular areas for optimum efficiency.
“We [the team] and Koga didn’t wish to change the body, we modified the fork a bit, however it’s not like we’re utilizing the actually vast ones, and that is an enormous development in the mean time.”
“All the sprinters can have new handlebars from Koga, we even have a brand new fork that narrows to interface with a slender 63/64mm entrance hub. The decrease a part of the fork dropout goes in now, in order that modified. But to have the ability to use it we wanted new wheels as properly [due to the width]. So we partnered up with Princeton, so all our entrance wheels are going to be Princeton, and that is actually good.”
De Boer additionally defined the riders will use new cranksets from Raketa, made within the Czech Republic. No extraordinary chainset, they retail at €2,500 and have a monster 200bcd (chainring bolt gap spacing) for the large entrance chainrings getting used on the observe. Another drivetrain acquire comes from the chains from D.I.D, who’ve a background in motorsport.
You would suppose gear for an Olympic Games can be deliberate and mapped out months and even years prematurely, however De Boer defined that wasn’t the case. This Olympic cycle has seen a number of nations scrabbling round for gear, and it appears getting maintain of sure elements earlier than the video games kick off in Paris has gone right down to the wire.
This goes towards the extensively acknowledged narrative that the post-COVID elements shortages at the moment are a factor of the previous. That mentioned, numerous the elements getting used aren’t your common disc wheelset or rear derailleur and are particular orders.
“It’s really fairly humorous, as a result of earlier than Tokyo, when the entire bike trade was on its knees kind of. Everybody obtained all of the gear, and no one ever had any issues with the gear. We obtained all the pieces very early. Everybody on the observe that I spoke to had all the pieces, and there was no downside. And now all people we communicate to, all of them have issues with the gear.
“On the first of May, we had frames, and that was about the one factor. We did not have forks, we did not have handlebars. We had nothing. Still, we’re ready for handlebars. We nonetheless want extra cranksets.”
“So we have got 20 wheels coming in immediately. That’s per week earlier than we depart. So we nonetheless should sand all of them down, and glue tyres to them.”
“The British additionally wanted a variety of wheels. I heard from the Germans that they are ready for 10 extra wheels; they want 5 frames. Everybody you communicate to, all of them have issues with getting the gear. So, yeah, it is bizarre that it is such an enormous distinction from Tokyo.”
The final Dugast observe tubulars
The Dutch squad use Dugast tubulars, made in Holland for years. The firm was acquired by Vittoria pretty not too long ago and the Dugast observe tubular could not have a lot of a future, you will not discover them on the Vittoria web site now. But they’re the weapon of alternative for De Boer and the squad and it sounds just like the Dutch staff’s massive closing order was the final lot of observe tubs to be produced by the model.
“Dugast is gone, the staff had been capable of order a variety of tyres as a result of they knew issues can be altering, and Dugast gave us all the pieces they had been capable of make. Everything that is not excellent we use in coaching. For the Olympics, we placed on the great ones.”
For context, these are extremely light-weight and quick tubular tyres that are glued onto a wheel rim by hand, to not be confused with tubeless. The ‘not good’ ones could have a barely wonky tread, or because of their delicate, handmade nature, do not run fully completely on a wheel. But make no mistake, they’re quick.
De Boer believes the additional work concerned in working with the tyres is price it for the efficiency they supply and is assured they’re quicker than the Vittoria tubular tyres utilized by numerous different nations now.
The 25mm tyres use a latex tread and are run at very excessive pressures. The minimal cotton base tape makes working with them and gluing them tougher than the typical tubular. It appears what they lack in usability they make up for in pure velocity.
“We put a lot strain in it, usually we put 14 bars in it, and that is like 200 psi. So they only should be actually laborious, from what I’ve examined, it is just like the tougher, the higher. But we do not wish to threat blowing a tyre or one thing, so we at all times simply persist with 14 bars.”
“Normally, typically a number of the riders wish to have the rear tyre just a little bit softer for the standing begin, you could have just a little bit extra grip. But then in case you go quick by the nook, you need them to be laborious, you realize, if the heavy sprinters, in the event that they go 80k an hour right into a nook and the tyre is simply too gentle, they may lose the again wheel. So, yeah, you continue to want a variety of strain.”
If you are pondering what’s all of the fuss about, a observe rider, particularly an Olympic-level sprinter thundering right into a picket 42-degree financial institution at 80km/h is placing a severe quantity of load onto a tyre. The laborious, glued-on tyre, stands up much better on the velodrome banking.
Glueing tubular tyres could be a barely messy and laborious course of, and so they should be glued correctly to the rim of a tyre, otherwise you run the danger of them coming unstuck in use. Glueing tubs for an Olympic closing is a severe enterprise. De Boer’s expertise shines by right here and explains he feels no nerves in regards to the tyres he glues coming unbonded.
“We know with these tyres, they’re so fragile and light-weight and so they’re not excellent, even in case you type them, they’re nonetheless not excellent. I can nonetheless glue a variety of tyres in Paris if obligatory, I do not really feel nervous about them not being caught.”
“After the standing begins with the sprinters, the tyre can have injury and wish altering. But within the Omnium the tyre can final a very long time, it depends upon the occasion and the rider. With a clean rider, the tyre will final a very long time, with a rider that is everywhere the tyre will not final lengthy. In the Madison, the tyres put on shortly because of the aggressive using and line adjustments.”
Three staff dash rounds give a complete of 9 laps of a 250-metre velodrome, which provides you an perception into the lifespan of those tyres. Albeit with the large wattage and begin a great deal of the world’s greatest sprinters. De Boer sums up the no-compromise method for efficiency although.
“For me, it would not matter if I’ve to alter a tyre earlier than the race, if it is faster, it is faster. “
Registering gear with the UCI
During Team GB’s all-conquering interval on the observe, you’ll hear how the squad’s very quickest gear would not even be used for World Championships, such was the deal with most efficiency on the Olympics. Post-Games, one of the best gear can be hidden away once more and even burnt to maintain issues secret.
Those days of a nation turning up with a shock new piece of package or gear are gone although, De Boer explains, because of up to date guidelines and the necessity to pre-register the gear a nation will use with the UCI forward of time.
“Since then, a variety of issues have modified. So now all the pieces needs to be registered earlier than you might simply present up with stuff, in order that was by no means examined, then you definitely burn it afterwards, no one would know what it was.”
The UCI closing gear record was revealed on the twenty ninth of March this 12 months, so nations would know from them what they might count on rivals to be utilizing and plan accordingly. They may then choose the gear they may use from this record for particular occasions. De Boer defined there was a component of registering a variety of merchandise to maintain your choices open and imply you could have entry to the quickest package and never miss out on any potential benefits.
“I do know that we registered 15 or 16 skinsuits. And I do know that almost all nations did this as a result of in case you take a look at the record, the UCI publish the record with all of the skinsuits used. There are so many pores and skin fits on it. It is ridiculous.”
“Now all the pieces is registered, all the pieces is seen, all the pieces is examined by the UCI. With the skinsuits, for instance, they’ve a machine that measures the quantity of air that’s going by the material. They will measure all the pieces. It’s not so secret. So that is a very good factor, I believe as a result of all the pieces is coming nearer collectively now, as a substitute of a nation simply investing $2 million in a skinsuit.”
“The UCI is basically making an attempt its greatest to arrange stuff like this. You at all times hear that there’s a lot of stuff going mistaken with UCI however, in this type of factor, they’re actually making an attempt to make one of the best out of it and make it work with all of the nations as properly.”
Track situations in Paris
Different velodromes all over the world have totally different traits and trip qualities relying on the size of their straights, bankings, and observe widths. De Boer defined the observe ought to go well with the dash occasions and contribute to some quick instances.
“It’s a reasonably quick observe as a result of it is wider, I believe it is like seven and a half meters or one thing, as a substitute of seven. So particularly with 200 metres, you could have just a little bit of additional falling velocity [when dropping from the top of the banking].”
“I do know that Harrie and Jeffrey as properly are actually an enormous fan of the Paris Velodrome, from the primary time they had been there. So that is good. I count on, particularly within the 200 metres, a spectacular time there. I do not suppose the world report shall be damaged, however I would not be stunned if it does.”
Atmospheric situations additionally play a component in velodrome performances, take Bradley Wiggins’ infamously gradual observe situations when he broke the World Hour Record in London. The strain contained in the observe may also affect what gearing the riders use to race on.
“The race gear is one thing that they resolve on the day. It actually depends upon air strain and air density, the type of the day, and your opponent. So the gear is at all times altering.”
“We have these instruments referred to as Kestrels. They are like little climate stations on the observe, you possibly can see the air density and all the pieces. Sometimes you take a look at the climate forecast and also you suppose it’ll be actually good, however it additionally depends upon the temperature inside. The quantity of individuals inside additionally makes a distinction. If you could have a full stadium, air density will change.”
You would maybe count on the Olympic Games to only be one other stage throughout the board. From performances, gear and logistics. But De Boer defined they’re really the best observe competitors of the lot. There are fewer occasions and fewer riders.
“The humorous factor is that Olympics are literally fairly simple as a result of you could have a small staff usually. If we go to World Championships or one thing, we usually carry like 16 folks, 18 folks, one thing like that. Now you might be restricted, so we carry 10 riders and we’ve two reserve riders, So 10 riders, after which you could have six days of competitions.
“You have a restricted quantity of races as properly as a result of, on the World Championships, you could have a factors race, a kilo [which don’t feature at the Olympics]. We solely have 5 occasions. So as a result of it is all in six days, usually you could have a three-hour observe morning coaching session after which racing within the afternoon, that is fairly relaxed.”
It’s truthful to imagine it is six days of whole and full focus for the two-man mechanics staff, given the stakes and strain. But De Boer careworn the significance of taking time for your self to modify off and calm down to be able to focus once more when it mattered.
“It’s essential to search out time to do another stuff for your self. You know, go for just a little trip within the morning. It’s additionally essential, I believe, to clear the thoughts. It’s nonetheless a very long time, particularly as a result of the entire preparation interval could be very busy as properly. So you actually should take care that whenever you go there, you are not too drained already.”
It’s clear the strain will ramp up when the squad arrives in France, notably for the boys’s staff sprinters, the defending champions and sizzling favourites.
“Yeah, there’s a variety of further strain. Because, particularly for us with the staff dash, we’ve to win it, kind of. There cannot be something going mistaken, as a result of we’ve to win it. Everybody expects us to win, there’s a variety of strain there, in order quickly as that’s out of the way in which, then we will begin having enjoyable.”
The Olympic values lengthen past what occurs in particular person occasions and are a part of the very cloth of the Olympic video games. Whatever the result within the velodrome, the riders’ performances will certainly add one other wealthy and thrilling chapter to the historical past of Olympic observe biking.
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