The Tour de France time trial is a battle of speed and strategy, but did you know that the team car following the rider could be a game-changer? According to Professor Bert Blocken's research, the size and shape of the team car can significantly impact a rider's performance, potentially making a difference of over five seconds. This is because the car creates a large bubble of overpressure ahead of it, which can cancel out the suction behind the rider, providing a boost. At a distance of just one meter, the rider's aerodynamic resistance drops by almost 14%, which is a substantial advantage. The benefit diminishes as the distance increases, but it never reaches zero, even at 30 meters. This phenomenon has led to some interesting strategies in the race. For instance, the Netcompany Ineos team's Ineos Grenadier gas-guzzling Land Rover lookalike is described as the driving force behind the team, but it's actually the slightly smaller estate car that often follows their star time triallist, Filippo Ganna. Professor Blocken's group has modeled the effect of various vehicles, including the Grenadier and a typical estate car, and found that the Grenadier would reduce the rider's time over a 26.1km course by 5.5 seconds at 50km/h, while the estate car would save 2.3 seconds. This highlights the importance of vehicle choice in time trials. The UCI has already reacted to Blocken's research by increasing the minimum distance to a following car from 10m to 25m in 2023, but even at this distance, the Grenadier would still provide a boost of 2.6 seconds. Professor Blocken suggests that the UCI should take further action by mandating a maximum CdA figure for team cars, enforcing the 25m rule more vigorously, and requiring cars to stay 40m or more behind the rider. These measures could potentially level the playing field and make the race more competitive. In my opinion, this is a fascinating aspect of the Tour de France that many people might not realize. It raises a deeper question about the role of technology and strategy in cycling, and how much of an impact a seemingly minor detail can have on the outcome of a race. It's a reminder that in the world of professional sports, every little detail matters.
