Wind-tunnel sessions once dominated by frame shapes and helmet design are increasingly booked for rider positioning instead, as teams conclude the athlete's body accounts for a larger share of aerodynamic drag than the equipment around it.
Small adjustments — shoulder width, head angle, even how a rider holds their hands on the bars — are now tested and logged individually, with riders given position "settings" nearly as specific as a bike fit.
"The bike's basically maxed out under the rules. The rider is the only variable left with real room to improve." — Performance engineer, professional cycling team
The approach demands riders hold positions for longer, more fatiguing stretches than older, more upright setups — a trade-off teams say is worth it for races decided by seconds over several hours.
