In this special Tour de France episode, we're joined by two of the sharpest minds in performance cycling: Koen Pelgrim, Head of Performance at Soudal Quick-Step, and Steve Smith, Castelli Brand Manager and driving force behind the Scorpion’s aero innovation.Recorded just ahead of the Tour’s Grand Départ, the episode dives deep into the world of wind tunnel testing and the relentless pursuit of marginal gains.From Tim Merlier’s Tour stage-winning Sanremo S Speed Suit to Remco Evenepoel’s time trial suits—including the one he wore while storming to victory in stage five’s Tour de France time trial.Koen and Steve pull back the curtain on testing protocols, fabric breakthroughs, rider-specific positions, and the surprising results that prove: what looks fast isn’t always fastest.Whether you're a marginal gainer, tech nerd, or just obsessed with the Tour like we are—this one’s for you.Enjoy!CHAPTERS00:00 Intro03:18 Behind the Scenes of Wind Tunnel Testing03:55 Tim Merlier's Sprint Suit11:27 Fast Feet Aero Socks12:09 Refining Remco's Time Trial Suit14:50 Remco's New Time Trial Position17:03 Aero Suit Testing with Soudal Quick-Step18:08 Adapting Suits for Different Cyclists20:17 Different TT Suits for the Uphill Time Trial20:48 EndingLINKSCastelli Speed Shophttps://www.castelli-cycling.com/Speed-Shop/c/Speed-ShopCastelli Pro Shophttps://www.castelli-cycling.com/PRO-SHOP/c/Pro-ShopGUESTS⁠Koen Pelgrim, Head of Performance at Soudal Quick-Step⁠⁠Steve Smith, Castelli Brand Manager ⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related