Is this year’s Tour de France set to be the fastest ever recorded? This week, we dive into the data and tech—from aero optimisation to route design—to explain why the professional peloton is reaching unprecedented speeds. Plus, we take an exclusive look at Canyon’s wild new concept bike and smart helmet, alongside the latest releases from Pinarello and Zwift.
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Chapters: ⏱️
00:00 – Will This Be The Fastest TDF Ever?
01:16 – Speed Stats: 2014 vs. Now
02:33 – Why Is Pro Cycling Getting Faster?
05:01 – Aero vs. Weight: The Bike Choice Shift
06:38 – How Route Design Impacts Speed
10:18 – Hot Tech: Canyon’s Radical Concepts
11:30 – Smart Helmets & V2X Safety Tech
15:00 – New Pinarello Colours & Zwift Watches
18:02 – Comment of the week
21:07 – Bike Vault
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With average speeds in the peloton continuing to climb, what do you think is the biggest factor: the incredible level of athlete fitness, or the rapid evolution of aero tech and nutrition? Let us know your thoughts below! 👇
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42 Comments
With average speeds in the peloton continuing to climb, what do you think is the biggest factor: the incredible level of athlete fitness, or the rapid evolution of aero tech and nutrition? Let us know your thoughts below! 👇
Of course this year's TDF will be the fastest; It's already over.
This brutal heatwave has got to stop before the tour starts, otherwise the race will be in the headlines for the wrong reasons
I lived in a German city in 2000 where they had indicator lights in the median a block or two before the intersection with numbers on them telling you how fast (or slow) you should drive to arrive at the intersection while the light was still green. It was incredibly useful and I have always wondered why I never saw that anywhere else. Something like that on a V2X display would be amazing. A little help to time your riding speed correctly to arrive at a green light without having to stop? That would be amazing!
That Canyon probably weighs 15+kg 🤣
the hardware on canyon will probably be outdated in less than 2 years
A nice bike IS a nice bike! Let’s bring the positivity back. A bike is either Nice because it’s a functional bike or Super Nice if it’s exceptional! Nice should still be a win.
Basic, your going to crash with a bike like that, there giving you a stupid helmet to deal with it. Handlebars with all the crap on them to watch then head but a bus…🙄
Genuinely last thing I need my life – AI in my bike… First electric engines, massive cargo bikes, now AI. Is it just me of it sounds like we will end up in electric car?
With the current heat wave in Western Europe, i was just wondering what role the weather might play and if the heat could potentially make this year's tour slower 🤔
You guys are so wrong. Cobalt Phantom is the best.
The Pinarello FP3 should have been a Supernice. So what if it’s not a Dogma.
The issue was the view angle and the wide angle lens causing the handlebars and seat to look abnormally large.
Massive Visors, that's why Si's on board!
And maybe is the Canyon's response to the limit in size of cycle computer by de UCI?
The 10% without have always been invisible.
@10:40 Predict Smart Bike. Most of the tech I've seen in cars in the last 10yrs isn't much more than as added distraction rather than a help.
Tbh, I can't see it being useful on a bicycle. An e-bike maybe?
The Heads up display thing looks good tho. Instead of looking down for stats on a Wahoo, you can keep your eyes on the road.
@ 25:20 I think I know what's off with the bike.
It's leaning against a rusty grey pole and the background is dissecting it in half. Mossy pavement below, green above and the handlebars have trees growing out of them.
With the paint and stickers, there's too much going on and clashes. It needs to be a clean dark background to make it truly stand out and get the supernice it deserves 🙂
more jucie
9:10 it always is multifactprial but there is one quote, from 2 cyclist frames and sizes always chose the bigger one, yes he may require more power to climb but you can get and use that power on the new tech and fueling mean while a smaller frame has a limit of power that can not be rised and works against for longer days and weeks when the body even transforms and gets 'fitter' but stronger always goes to the big man that has more tank the smaller guy will not ahve the tank ever, until science do something and tech helps those in a smaller frames and weigth.
Great. Lets take the simplest machine and turn it into the most complex where we need a subscription to ride?
The UCI saw bikes like the Predict on the horizon and put a limit on onboard computer screen size.
🐢📺One thing I loved 💕about full coverage was being able to step away to do laundry or chores and come back without missing much. There was something peaceful about listening to the slower, more mundane parts of the race 🚴🚴♀️🚴♂️🚵🚵♀️
I just turned 51 in April and have "Tried" to see every Tour de France Stage since 1984 when I was 9🥲 the Tech , Teams and Training is all due to the Armstrong yrs, and Every Team has adopted and improved all the lil things like Breakfast bisquits😉
The Tour is gonna be Epic…most likely Tadej…but even Top 10 is gonna be an Awesome Race guys😎 maybe we get some 48secs shit😉
21:46 idk, steel is real if you ask me.
i m drown to chromoly steel , i hate aluminum and impartial to carbon
Molten sand is another name for beige.
The paint job is horrible on that Pinarello, that's what's wrong with it . 🙄
Thanks for the supper nice guys 🔔 😊
Better Doping
In 2006 there were 8 stages over 200km and another 2 over 190. This year there is one stage at 205 and only one other over 190. Essentially it’s gone from being an endurance race to a sprint. This means less time on the bike and more time to recover. The days of the first week featuring very long stages to soften the legs and build fatigue are over as they are deemed boring for TV. Broadcasters want action from the start so the route is designed to promote that. It also means it has got a lot more dangerous.
That massive visor is almost as big as si’s normal bike glasses…..not as big as his ankles though!
Here in Dortmund, Germany we have cameras on traffic lights (along major cycling routes) that detect cyclists an turn green. Works great even with my 30yo bike!
More sophisticated drugs masking.
Too much talk about "aero ",pogacer would beat most of his rivals in "donkey jacket and wellies ",because he is the best of his time, just saying 😅.
Can you do a show on Aero vs climbing bike? Have the “climbing” rider dress in jersey and bibs. Regular socks.
roids
A V2X future of interconnected self-driving vehicles spells a dire furure for cyclists. Period.
If cyclists dont already buy into the tech (it will be built into gps bike head units) the risk to non-connected road users will be mitigated by the use of a phone app making your presence visible to the tech. Wonderful
Nutrition. Instead of old-school training where we trained to try to survive on less nutrition, it's flipped to now training to condition your body to be able to digest massive amounts of nutrition.
Aero is really important in racing bunches. If a gap opens, the rider trying to close it will benefit significantly if they can increase their closing speed even slightly. It reduces the amount of time spent in the wind.
It will be the fastest ever. The drugs are better than ever
Of course, it’s down to the altitude training, the 10 kg of spaghetti devoured every day, the aerodynamic socks, the carbon fiber… AND maybe the new "magic potion"—the predecessor of which helped quite a few people to victory back in the 90s. [Yes, I mean doping.]
What a dumb question. Of course this year's Tour will be "The Fastest Ever". EVERY Tour since the beginning of time has been "The Fastest Ever"… due to both technology advancements, training advancements, nutrition advances, etc. And it will be thus until the end of time.
What is the reason for very high speed? Well… easy…Pog is at the front and there is time limit…😅🤣😂