In recent days, we have seen spectacular footage of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe appearing on social media. Wind tunnels, green laser lights, and with Remco Evenepoel the most aerodynamic rider in the peloton. What exactly is the team working on? "The knowledge we are gaining now is going to change the sport," says the Red Bull camp.
Evenepoel and his new team are testing a technique that is currently only used in Formula 1. In an old railway tunnel in England, the cycling team conducted PIV tests together with Specialized. A PIV test allows air movements around the rider and bike to be analyzed in detail using millions of tiny helium bubbles illuminated by lasers.
Dan Bigham, engineer at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, calls the tests "pure magic." "It’s exactly like science fiction. We are visualizing what was previously invisible in cycling. Never before in professional cycling has such a precise picture been drawn of how air behaves around a rider. This knowledge (about aerodynamics) will change the sport. This is the beginning of a new era in cycling."
"This is fundamental research that will determine Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and Specialized’s development processes in the coming years. Because whoever understands the air, controls the race," he concludes.
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