In the recent visit to the Montichiari velodrome we noticed the attention that the boys of the Italian national track teamTo understand how these types of helmets are created and developed, we spoke with Luca Viano, Product Director at KaskThe Italian brand is the official supplier of the Italian national track team.
We start from the best
Designing and developing helmets that must provide maximum aerodynamic efficiency requires a series of very in-depth and complex studies.
«Kask's history is a bit particular – Luca Viano begins – right from the beginning we have always collaborated with what was Team Sky and what is today theIneos. For us this meant collaborating with the riders and also with the technical partners of the team, which have been many. Starting from British Cycling then move on to Jaguar up to today with Mercedes Benz. That said, to develop a time trial or track helmet we start by studying what is best on the market or at the prototype level and we go and look for points to improve."
In the wind tunnel
Collaborating with a top-level team like Ineos Grenadiers has certainly brought a series of advantages.
«In recent years we have always developed together with each individual athlete – Viano explains to us – using the wind tunnel , full rider scan while he is on his bicycle."
The work in the wind tunnel is always very important: «We do some simulations with the wind coming from different directions and with the athlete assuming different positions on the bike. Obviously, there are those who stay in one position more and others who move more, and this factor must also be considered for aerodynamic efficiency. In the end, all variables are balanced and we can understand how much the drag can be reduced for that single rider."
Long or short tail?
The physical characteristics and fit of each athlete influence the technical choices made when developing a helmet.
«The boys of the Italian national track team have different characteristics – Luca Viano tells us – to better understand how much the peculiarities of each athlete influence the development of a helmet I'll give the example of FroomeHe is one of those who during the time trials look very low e moves his headThe helmet was born from these characteristics Child Pro with a truncated tail, because a long tail would have acted as a brake. Instead Thomas e Ganna, who come from the track and have a more stable and long-lasting position, it is advisable that they use the Bambino Pro Evo with the longest tail».
But how much does the length of the helmet affect aerodynamics?
«The longer tail helps to attach the airflow as much to the back as possible and this improves aerodynamics, but if you move your head a lot while pedaling it acts like a brake."
Attention to details
Going into the specifics of the helmets used by the athletes of the Italian national team, Luca Viano told us that: «The boys use the Bambino Pro Evo, the one with the longest tail, which offers the best wing profile and is more advantageous. You have to consider that the track tests last a few minutes and therefore the athletes remain in a stable aerodynamic position».
And then there are the marginal gains.
«The helmets used on the track are the same ones used in road time trials or triathlons – he tells us – however, to achieve maximum performance, the front holes are removed ventilation, which causes some aerodynamic problems. Obviously, this operation is not done for road tests where the rider must face longer efforts."
A helmet for Australians
Kask also collaborates with the Australian national track team and this partnership has also led to the creation of a specific helmet.
«The helmet Mistral It was born from the fact that Australian athletes have on average broader shoulders – Viano explains – this means that they have a different impact with the air. This feature led us to develop a helmet that has a wider front part and allows for the creation of a seamless body with the athlete's profile. This has made the airflow more linear. The Mistral is also suitable for less tortuous triathlons, also because triathletes often have wider shoulders than cyclists.
Different tests, same helmet
Finally, we asked if there is a difference between the helmet used in the quartet and the one used in the individual pursuit.
«In reality there are no differences, in the sense that they use the same helmet in both testsIn the quartet, the order and timing of the shots are very important and we try to work a lot on the characteristics of the people to ensure that they are as homogeneous as possible. On the other hand When Ganna is in front shooting, he should have one type of helmet, while when he is in the slipstream he should have another typeBut this is not possible, so he uses the same one as the individual event with which he has the maximum aerodynamic advantage."
