European Championship 2025: Men’s ITT, October 1

[Cookster15]

From what I understand...

Disc wheels started in the mid 80s, and I think the first aerobikes were designed for the 1984 Olympics on track.

Later 80s were when tri bars were first used, famously by LeMond.

After that was when the whole TT specialist bikes and "aero" components kicked off in a short time frame. Bike design started to get crazy in early 90s and aero was being pushed like mad and whole TT setups were different down to frames.

Might be off by a year or a few but I *think* that has some basis in reality at least.

I recall similar. As far as tri bars, these became in vogue in that sport when Dave Scott used the first Scott DH aerobar at the Hawaii ironman (1987). Lemond's legendary TT ride to win the Tour was '89.

Before aerobars became in vogue in that sport pros used traditional TT bikes with bullhorn handlebars and discs - probably similar as teams used for specific specialised TT bikes in professional cycling. Triathlon being a newer sport people weren't afraid to experiment - hence the Scott DH bars revolutionized that sport. In fact people experimented to the point of ridiculousness and the industry obliged - there was a thread devoted to that.

I think triathletes also discovered that supporting the upper body on the aerobar rests meant less fatigue carried into the run leg. But of course for road and track it was the watts savings from the lower and flatter position.

 

[hayneplane]

From what I understand...

Disc wheels started in the mid 80s, and I think the first aerobikes were designed for the 1984 Olympics on track.

Later 80s were when tri bars were first used, famously by LeMond.

After that was when the whole TT specialist bikes and "aero" components kicked off in a short time frame. Bike design started to get crazy in early 90s and aero was being pushed like mad and whole TT setups were different down to frames.

Might be off by a year or a few but I *think* that has some basis in reality at least.

Would it be fair to say that aerodynamics were less important relative to power output back before disc wheels and TT bar extensions that created a very different position on the bike.

I could see Pogacar being far better against the clock in relative terms back in those conditions as shown by his long road race solos than he is in modern day conditions.

 

[proffate]

One of his best scenarios is an attack immediately after the descent. Not with 1 km to go after he has made it back to the front.

So getting dropped on the descent would be costly for him (but I don't think he'd be distanced by Pogi there).

Just doesn't seem likely that anyone would let him get away at that point because it's too obvious what will happen next.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Nice to see recency bias not affecting everyone. Great post.

What was true for regular road racing, was much more true for time trialing in that era of cycling. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. Half the peloton smoked two packs of cigarettes a day, the other half put alcohol in their bidon. The one that stumbled upon a somewhat sensible modus operandi was able to dominate the pack. Everyone did stuff based on gut feeling, there was zero scientific approach and when everybody is randomly throwing *** against the wall, someone's *** will inevitably stick. Being the best by method of elimination (due to ignorance) to me doesn't mean best TTer of all time. That's why it doesn't make sense to compare eras.