Friday, July 1, is the day. During le Grand Départ in Copenhagen, Denmark, nearly 200 riders will compete for the first yellow jersey of the 2022 Tour de France over 13.2 km. Filippo Ganna, among others, will roll off the starting ramp in his very fastest configuration ever during the opening stage. This configuration includes not only a streamlined helmet and a special time trial bike, but also an extra aerodynamic custom time trial suit developed by the Belgian company Bioracer.
Numbers tell
Bioracer, clothing partner of Team INEOS Grenadiers, worked in close contact with the riders, the INEOS Grenadiers performance team and partners over the past few months. In opposition to many cycling clothing manufacturers being forced to limit themselves to book only a few sessions in the wind tunnel, Bioracer has its own wind tunnel at its disposal. More than 300 hours of aerodynamic testing in 2022 provided the necessary data to develop this supersonic time trial suit.
Wind tunnel tests were conducted at 3 separate sites: Bike Valley (Beringen – Belgium), Polytechnic University (Milan – Italy) and Nabaflow, a spin-off of Stavanger University in Norway. The three testing centers were unanimous: the time trial suit is more aerodynamic and faster than ever before.
Inspired by cycling history
The Katana suit that Bioracer developed for Tokyo 2020 forms the basis of the optimized time trial suit. Annemiek van Vleuten, Tom Dumoulin, Anna van der Breggen and Wout van Aert all shone in it at the Olympics.
In this lightweight suit, the aerodynamic properties of the fabric are crucial. But the support that the suit provides the rider is, if anything, even more important. A good time trial suit forces the body into a compact posture with inwardly curved shoulders to minimize the frontal surface area. In this way, it’s easier for Ganna to maintain his aerodynamic position optimally from start to finish.
Customization with strategic details
Each suit is custom made, sized to the individual athlete’s body. This also applies to Ganna’s time trial suit. His suit was fully customized to his physique, personal preferences and race position. In his case, that means a custom-made suit with a front zipper and no leg grippers, both for his personal comfort.
Welding and taping the seams instead of classically stitching them, as well as strategically placing them, avoids even the smallest turbulence that could have a negative impact on its aerodynamics. In addition, a smooth fabric surface is applied on the back and sleeves, unlike what we often see in the peloton. The underlying reason, of course, cannot be disclosed.
The Tour de France is all about details. In order to respond perfectly to this, the riders are measured three times a year. In August, there is an intake for the clothing package, before the turn of the year, there is a check and after the spring classics we measure to make the final adjustments for the grand tours. From aero sock to race suit, measuring each rider for about 3.5 hours each year ensures that the more than 140(!) items in their Tour clothing package fit like a glove.
The days before the start of the Tour, a mobile Bioracer Protolab will be present in Copenhagen. In the mobile testing and production environment, three Bioracer specialists make last-minute adjustments at the request of the riders for optimal comfort without loss of performance. Thus, nothing is left to chance.
Innovation drive
As a development partner, Bioracer is more than a traditional clothing supplier for Team INEOS Grenadiers. Innovation drive is the beating heart of the company. Every year, the Belgian cycling apparel manufacturer designs more than 12,000 designs for teams and groups of friends worldwide. They choose quality tested by pros, with a custom design of their choice.
For more than 35 years, the continuous innovation of fabrics, fits and techniques have resulted in a total of more than 1,000 medals at championships and Olympic Games. It’s therefore Bioracer’s mission to make every athlete – professional or recreational – faster.