What makes a WorldTour bike? It might appear a easy query at face worth, but when most individuals have been requested to clarify it to a buddy in 2024, they’d in all probability say one thing like; ‘Aero, dealing with and stiffness’. Racers wish to go quick and bikes want to have the ability to deal with the ability of among the world’s strongest bike riders as they thunder down technical mountain passes. Nevertheless it’s one factor to invest and assume, it is one other to talk with the riders who race these bikes on the highest degree for a residing.
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale has hit the bottom working this yr. It is too early to say if the Van Rysel RCR has been the bike of the season, however the riders, bikes and total gear package deal appear to have coalesced right into a successful system this yr. The Van Rysel RCR appeared to fit seamlessly into the WorldTour ranks and solely seems to have acquired reward since its launch. The crew has claimed 23 victories already this yr and at the moment sits 2nd total within the 2024 UCI WorldTeam Rankings, a bounce of 16 locations in comparison with final yr.
We have been in a position to chat with crew riders Oliver Naesen and Sam Bennett about pro-level race bikes. Naesen has been knowledgeable for over a decade and might rely a Belgian Nationwide street race title, and quite a few different large Monument and Classics outcomes on his palmares. Bennett is without doubt one of the peloton’s quickest sprinters and has gained phases in all three grand excursions. It is protected to say this pair know what they’re speaking about relating to race bikes.
For any fan of the game, there are some fascinating professional insights right here, from the power to really feel pedal put on and chamois thickness, ideas on the brand new relationship with the Van Rysel engineers and a need for one factor specifically; pace.
Oliver Naesen racing the Van Rysel RCR on the Tour of Flanders (Picture credit score: Pool)
So what makes a WorldTour bike?
So what precisely makes a WorldTour bike in 2024? Effectively, it is in all probability arduous to get far into the topic with out ‘aero’ being talked about, however aero is just one a part of the equation. Naesen and Bennett shared their racer’s views on what makes a current-day WorldTour race bike.
“To start with, there’s the pace, there’s the aerodynamics,” Naesen mentioned. “And what makes a quick bike? That is very a lot decided within the lab setting I believe. Van Rysel purchased a bunch of bikes and in contrast them. Borrowed a couple of concepts from this model, a couple of different ones from that model, to make their very own bike as quick as attainable.”
“And second is the burden in fact. So these two components are crucial, after which afterwards is stuff like consolation and, in fact, the geometry, the way to get an aggressive place on it, However these days, truly, it is largely pace pushed.”
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It is in all probability unsurprising, we hear the phrase used loads for a purpose, however Sam Bennett echoed Naesen’s feedback on pace and aerodynamics.
“It does must be a well-rounded bike,” started the Irishman, “however aerodynamics performs an enormous a part of it. Now, climbing at 20k an hour, aerodynamics can begin to outweigh the burden of bikes, it must be a well-rounded bike, however I believe primarily the aerodynamics.”
Sam Bennett sprinting to victory on the 4 Jours de Dunkerque earlier this yr (Picture credit score: Luc Claessen / Stringer)
A brand new partnership with Van Rysel
Naesen confirmed that the crew’s riders have been pleased with their gear package deal this yr and {that a} robust relationship with the engineers at Van Rysel has additionally been shaped.
“Sure. If riders are sad with the fabric more often than not, in the event that they’re professionals, you will not learn something about it. But when they’re pleased with it, you will examine it, you will hear about it, you will see discuss it on TV.”
“That is the case this yr with us. There’s no one that is sad with the bikes we now have. The partnership with the model is already paying dividends this yr in case you take a look at our outcomes, which have been superb in comparison with different years. Now we have to actually thank them for that as a result of because the riders, we simply merely saved doing what we do, what we did final yr. It is really a tremendous partnership.”
He additionally described a close-knit relationship between Van Rysel and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale crew workers and that there was no clear divide between the 2.
“We name the engineers by their first names now, as a result of we see them on each race. We noticed them on our camps. We’re a part of their crew. They’re a part of our crew. We do not distinguish between Van Rysel folks and members of the crew. We see one another on a regular basis, and it is actually fascinating.”
“Typically when you might have questions, like, for instance on the dinner desk in a race, riders voice their issues to one another, speaking in regards to the bike. This might be nice, this might be much less good and so forth. Once you see the engineers so typically, each time you might have a query, you simply merely ask them. And people guys, most of them, are simply so sensible, they only have the reply, numbers-driven or data-driven I imply, to maintain the priority to a minimal, in case you ask, does this crew have a sooner bike or no matter, it is like, ‘No, we examined it’.”
“It is particularly good to know that it is going to be till at the least 2028. It is good as a result of I do know we’re gonna have these bikes subsequent yr. Whereas, in case you do bike testing work like that, for a sponsor that solely has a one-year contract along with your crew, it is also fascinating to do the work, as a result of it is a job, however you are not doing it. There’s nothing to realize for your self, now it is very fascinating and so motivating for the long run.”
Sam Bennett could be very explicit about his saddle top and place (Picture credit score: Dario Belingheri / Stringer)
Sam Bennett echoed Naesen’s ideas on the Van Rysel setup typically however defined he knew he needed to journey a motorbike for himself to know for certain at first.
“Once you speak to bike manufacturers, all people says their model is one of the best, and so they must consider it, I suppose, and so they must promote the product, and we now have to promote the product. We obtained advised final yr it will be Van Rysel and the numbers have been tremendous spectacular. However in my head, I used to be like I actually have to attend until I journey it after which I am going to be capable of actually inform. However I am completely blown away by it. All people’s tremendous completely happy.”
“It is a well-rounded bike, the climbers are completely happy, and the sprinters are completely happy. My favorite is the larger depth wheels. Even on the climbing phases, I appear to get a very good response, even at low speeds. So climbing, it feels stiff. The bike feels quick. I can rail the corners with it, the entire package deal is simply improbable.”
Bennett, who was a part of the crew that developed Specialised’s S-Works Ares ‘sprinter’ shoe throughout his time at Bora-Hansgrohe and QuickStep, additionally appeared completely happy in regards to the clear communication with engineers when requested about it and the optimistic crew setting.
“I like that a part of it as nicely. I like the numbers. I like figuring out what is going on into it. And if I may give suggestions that they really wish to hearken to, it is fairly good as nicely. They have been all ears, which is improbable. You already know they wish to make one of the best bike they’ll, and that is why it has been nice to work with them.”
WorldTour bikes should be robust all rounders (Picture credit score: Luc Claessen – Stringer)
Necessities in a race bike
When requested if he had any particular necessities for his personal race bike, Naesen’s response confirmed a single-minded concentrate on one factor: pace.
“All out pace, I am not vulnerable to accidents, so consolation and geometry are much less vital for me personally. Weight can be a bit much less vital. It is good to have a quick bike, to be as gentle as attainable. However I am not aiming to be a climber or something. It is good to have a lightweight bike launching out of corners and stuff like that, but when it is quick and lengthy straights, most races common almost 50km per hour. It is simply all in regards to the pace.”
He additionally commented on simply how a lot of what professional riders do is similar, and that, in his opinion, materials has an enormous bearing on how races are determined these days.
“I am below the impression that all of us reside very parallel lives to riders. I imply, we eat the identical stuff, we do the identical coaching rides, we put in the identical hours. Our lives are extraordinarily parallel, and but there are such large variations in efficiency from crew to crew, and I believe the fabric is the largest think about these higher or worse performances. So one of the best bike for me is simply plain and easily the quickest bike.”
Sam Bennett has sprinted to victory in all three grand excursions, together with to victory on the Champs-Élysées within the Tour de France inexperienced jersey, absolutely about pretty much as good because it will get for any sprinter. He gave an perception into the necessities of the peloton’s quickest riders and what he needs from his race bike to permit him to dash and win.
“For me, an enormous a part of it will be rolling resistance, aerodynamics and stiffness. Stiffness is an enormous factor since you do not wish to be sprinting, feeling such as you’re dropping one thing by way of the bike. After which additionally, for a sprinter, figuring out that this bike is without doubt one of the quickest bikes within the peloton can be good for the top going right into a dash since you do not wish to really feel such as you’re at a drawback already. Assessments are finished at 40 and 50 kilometres per hour, but when we step out from a lead-out prepare or out of the peloton at 69, 70k an hour, you are hitting a block of wind, you realize. And you’ll actually really feel that.
“So that you wish to have the stiffness. You wish to have the aerodynamics. You wish to know the numbers, I suppose. And I imply, you realize, after that, then you definately’re in search of the rolling resistance with the tyres. You are in search of good bike dealing with, lots of the time it may be raining in sprints, it may be technical closing. So, yeah, having a motorbike that’s straightforward to deal with within the peloton, as a result of it will get fairly aggressive in bunch sprints. You can make pretty aggressive bike manoeuvres. There are lots of issues right here you might be in search of.”
Bennett and Naesen are each ex-national champions (Picture credit score: Dario Belingheri / Stringer)
Tools and professionalism
Naesen disagreed with the concept some riders are in a position to simply bounce on any bike and journey it nicely within the present period, that it is merely a device for them and so they can throw a leg over any bike and carry out.
“Nobody in any respect, not at this time. There’s some outliers which have simply genetic benefit, or means greater expertise than others. And in case you would give them any bike, they’d nonetheless carry out nicely or semi-well. However in case you put a fantastic rider on a foul bike, it is over for him.
“If I have been a shopper, I’d actually base the model of the bike I might purchase on the outcomes of WorldTour groups, easy as that. As a result of, like I mentioned, all of us do precisely the identical stuff. All people on the similar time does the identical coaching camps all through the remainder of the yr. Now we have such parallel lives. It is unimaginable. The one distinction is the fabric.”
He additionally defined that riders focus on after they aren’t pleased with issues internally, however within the identify of professionalism and sponsor correctness, you’ll not often if ever hear of it within the media.
“After all, the biking world could be very small, and particularly amongst Belgians, there are such a lot of Belgian WorldTour riders from WorldTour groups, after we converse to one another, typically the discussions are guided in direction of materials, and there is all the time stuff that the riders are sad or very sad with. I imply, we additionally see from the skin when the crew would not go nicely or goes very nicely, it should be as a result of they modified this or that.”
“For instance, final week within the Dauphine, on some descent, we have been descending one in all these mountains with our crew within the wheel of one other crew, and so they had some bother going by way of corners. And, you realize, figuring out one another pretty nicely, we have been joking along with them. After which afterwards it was, ‘You guys have these tyres, what would you like from us? Now we have this tyre.’ Stuff like that does occur, however you would not examine that within the newspaper.”
WorldTour riders should push race bikes arduous when descending (Picture credit score: Dario Belingheri / Stringer)
Professional rider bike really feel
Naesen mentioned all the pieces needed to be excellent on his race bike when requested what mattered most to him, however defined that the contact factors of cleats, saddle and handlebars took precedence. He additionally gave an perception into a professional’s really feel for the bike that goes far past what most of us would ever be capable of discover.
“All of it. However the three contact factors I’d say. For instance, this morning, I modified cleats, and two kilometres right into a coaching journey I turned again dwelling for an Allen key as a result of one thing was a little bit bit off. If my saddle is one millimetre decrease or greater, I’d sense it instantly. If the shifters are turned inwards one diploma roughly, you’re feeling it immediately. If the saddle is a little more worn in your bike primary, than your quantity two spare bike that you do not use and you turn bikes, you’re feeling immediately there’s one thing completely different with the saddle. Each element. You sense it immediately.”
“However I do not wish to make a factor out of it, within the Dauphiné final week, I broke my bike primary in that vast crash and needed to take a distinct bike. The place is precisely the identical, however there may be zero put on on the pedals and 0 put on on the saddle. I sense that instantly.”
Bennett echoed teammate Naesen’s feedback on saddle top and really feel, this additionally prolonged to with the ability to really feel when a chamois pad is a distinct thickness in his biking shorts.
“I’m tremendous, tremendous explicit about my saddle top and place, I really feel each half millimetre. Saddle angle and top I am actually delicate too. Even all the way down to my chamois, they must be in the precise place, if a pores and skin go well with and shorts are barely off, it might throw my place fully and have me working completely completely different muscle groups, my cardiovascular system can be wonderful, but when the muscle teams are working completely different, I get actually bunged up with that.”
“Typically I might take out a brand new pair of shorts, and if I have been utilizing a couple of pairs of shorts, and the chamois might have gone comfortable after half a yr, the saddle might be worn, shoe insoles might be worn, after which abruptly, I believe the bike is off.”
