Jay Vine is the new Australian time trial champion (AusCycling opening image). His victory isn't surprising, but rather the fact that he dominated on a bike and in a discipline where he doesn't invent anything new. Remembering that he only turned professional in 2021, after a year in continental and reaching the highest level with the Alpecin-Deceuninck for winning the Zwift Academy.
Since this year the 27 year old Australian from Townsville is in the WorldTour with the UAE Emirates and ride a ColnagoWe asked Joseph Archetti e David Herrero, respectively the team's mechanic and biomechanic, to tell us about his position on the bike.
In terms of technical choices, what kind of rider is Jay Vine?
ARCHES: «From a technical point of view, Jay Vine is a trained rider. He knows what he wants and is able to perceive the differences in materials. He trusts us mechanics and the biomechanics a lot, so for everything concerning the preparation of the bikes, standard and time trial bikes and also regarding the position on the saddle. He is also a extremely polite boy and a hard worker».
BLACKSMITH: «He is a rider who has good knowledge and is dedicated to listening and putting into practice what he is toldThere's no questioning his potential; he's already demonstrated his worth at the 2022 Vuelta and in other high-level races. I like to define him a rough diamond to be refined and polished».
Have you made any changes to the position you used previously?
ARCHES: «Some things have been done variations on both bikes, for which the rider spent several hours with the biomechanic David Herrero. There were numerous tests and la Most of the time was invested on the time trial bike».
BLACKSMITH: "We have completely changed the positions he used previously, but the biggest differences are found on the time trial bike. Previously there had been no real in-depth study aimed at finding the optimal combination of mechanical means and athlete. This is why during the first training camp with the Team UAE we have them dedicated a whole day in the velodrome and on the time trial bikeWe used real-time telemetry to optimize cadence and power output, heart rate, and respiratory rate, while also considering speed. Vine won the national title and this is a great first result for us.».
Is there anything special that distinguishes your bike?
ARCHES: «We could say that it is an atypical Australian. Not infrequently, riders coming from Oceania, or in any case connected to the Commonwealth lands, they ask for the brake levers to be reversed, compared to Europeans. Jay Vine instead asked to use the standard configuration, that is, right lever for the rear brake and left lever for the front one».
BLACKSMITH: «I consider the set of choices relating to the traditional bike to be a sort of standard. Instead, for we raised the appendage supports for the time trial oneWe did it in a significant way, so as to exploit the rider's horizontal extension and give him the ability to contain your head in your armsIts aerodynamic position is very good, with a non-negligible and excellent level cx factor, considering that he has never done any specific tests in the past."
Did Jay Vine ask for any changes to the materials, or did he keep everything the same from the first use?
ARCHES: «He asked for power try and use a saddle with a wider width, compared to the one used in the initial bars».
BLACKSMITH: «Nothing worth reporting and which forced him to review his biomechanics».
Is Vine's setting normal, or is it a bit extreme?
ARCHES: «Absolutely normal for a standard bike, if we contextualize everything in more modern times. Vine's setting has no excesses, in the sense that it exceeds the height between saddle and handlebars, with an extension of the legs adequate to its characteristics. The saddle is quite advanced, however in line with current demands».
BLACKSMITH: «As for the standard bicycle, it has values that are within the norm, instead on the time trial one the setting can be considered one of the challenging ones. Jay Vine's advantage is a very elastic and flexible body, which is no small advantage. This elasticity allows it to adapt without problems and here the biomechanic can dare to exploit aerodynamics, without dispersion and loss of power, staying within a performance time range of less than an hour».
Focusing on the materials available to Jay Vine, what equipment does the rider have?
ARCHES: «Vine was provided the latest Colnago model, the one that debuted at the Tour de France, the V4Rs. A size 51 with Colnago carbon handlebars. Instead, for time trials, the TT1. From this year the bikes have the Shimano Dura Ace transmission, the Enve wheels in three versions, 2.3, 4.5 and 6.7, all with SES series hookless rims with 23mm internal channelAs a team we will be equipped with tubeless tires only and in this case too there has been a change compared to the past. We have Continental, with sections between 28 and 30 millimetres».
BLACKSMITH: «Vine wears a size 51 and he is 184 centimeters tall. If we only look at the numbers we could say that the bicycle is too small, but this is not the case. The athlete has a long torso and is the classic case where it is better to use a smaller frame, a solution that paradoxically allows you to easily find the right balance, without losing power, having the right comfort and also a constant feeling when driving the mechanical vehicle».
With ever-larger tires, is there a risk of lowering performance?
ARCHES: «It's not just a question of tires, today's bicycle is a complex system where there are many variables at playWe must start from the assumption that high-profile wheels are increasingly used even uphill, with widened sections and larger internal channels. The tire must fit perfectly with the rim, so the widening of the tire sections is a consequence. Then in terms of numbers, tests and average hourly speed of the races, the results say the opposite, that is, that with the new materials you go faster».
BLACKSMITH: «The results in the laboratory and on the road demonstrate the opposite, even if it is necessary finding the right balance between the different components at play. Here we must also consider the frontal impact. It is a very broad discussion, which touches on various variables and components of the bicycle, in addition to the rider's position. Modern cycling is made of research, technology, and numbers, details, and even the smallest things count."
