Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) recently spent a day undertaking aerodynamic tests at the Silverstone wind tunnel facilities, within the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub adjacent to the British motor racing circuit. 2015 Vuelta a España winner Fabio Aru also spent the day at the facility.
The work focused on their set up on the Colnago K.One time trial bikes under the direction of the wind tunnel staff, the supervision of Iñigo San Millan (head coach of UAE Team Emirates) and materials advice from Lars Teutenberg. They carefully tested the various set ups offered by the team’s technical materials suppliers.
“It is very important to be able to add the wind tunnel test to the research work already carried out in winter on the track,” said Martin. “The wind tunnel offers a neutral environment, which allows technicians to collect useful data for the choice of materials. For a cyclist facing a race against the clock, it’s essential he knows he’s riding a bike that’s expressing its maximum potential.”
“It feels good working in a state-of-the-art facility, where the fastest cars in the world are also tested,” Aru said. “We examined a range of time trial positions, looking for those that guarantee the best combination of aerodynamics and comfort. The work was worth it, an excellent opportunity offered by the team.”
