The Giro d’Italia ventured onto new soil with a begin in Albania this 12 months, and whereas the Balkan nation’s residents feasted on the racing up shut, in addition they acquired a primary take a look at the brand new tech on provide.
Grand Tour season, just like the spell of Spring Classics earlier than it, at all times guarantees a surge in new tools on the beginning line. This 12 months’s Giro has confirmed no exception.
Solely three phases into the race, we have noticed new helmets, unmarked helmets, and a prototype 13-speed Campagnolo groupset. Here is a rundown of one of the best of the brand new tech, and the quirky decisions among the groups have made.
13-speed Campagnolo Tremendous Report?
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Noticed on the bike of Cofidis rider Stefano Oldani, Campagnolo seems to have up to date its newest 12-speed Tremendous Report Wi-fi groupset, launched in 2023, and merged it with its 13-speed Ekar gravel groupset.
Our mates over at Cyclingnews acquired a more in-depth take a look at the brand new 13-cog highway providing, and observed a comeback of Campagnolo’s well-loved thumb shifters, situated contained in the hoods. These have been ditched with the Tremendous Report Wi-fi’s launch two years in the past, bringing the model extra in keeping with its opponents in Shimano and SRAM.
Cyclingnews contacted Campagnolo concerning the new groupset, and was advised elusively that “a brand new chapter is starting” within the Italian model’s historical past.
“We’re engaged on a brand new innovation and product positioning technique, one which’s designed to satisfy the wants of assorted market segments,” the model spokesperson stated.
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Campagnolo returned to the WorldTour with Cofidis this 12 months, having been absent from the professional peloton in 2024. With this new groupset, the model’s dedication to elite efficiency appears clear.
Scott follows TT helmet pattern
Tom Pidcock’s new Scott lid is Crimson Bull-branded
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Larger is best seems to be the consensus amongst time trial helmet designers lately.
Following on from POC’s Tempor, Candy Safety’s Redeemer 2Vi, and Giro’s Aerohead II, Scott has now launched its personal ‘spaceship’ lid into the market. The at the moment unreleased helmets have been worn by Q36.5’s riders in stage two’s time trial, with Tom Pidcock getting a Crimson Bull-branded one due to his private sponsorship.
The design shares the identical flared facet because the Tempor, Redeemer 2Vi, and Aerohead II, which is alleged to assist information the airflow over the rider’s physique.
Chinese language model XDS enters helmet market
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Beforehand provided by Italian model Limar, XDS Astana have now swapped out their helmets to these of their Chinese language title sponsor, XDS.
The squad started utilizing the corporate’s X-Lab bikes at first of the 12 months, and debuted the brand new highway and TT helmets within the opening phases of the Giro. In response to the crew’s efficiency engineer, Alex Dowsett, the brand new lids are “aggressive with one of the best within the WorldTour”.
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Each the highway and TT choices have been designed by way of wind tunnel testing, with the highway lid popping out “tremendous aerodynamic”, Dowsett stated. As for the TT helmet, XDS went for a easy look that the crew hopes will “work on everybody”.
“TT helmets in 2025 don’t win any style awards, however it’s quick, and I’m very proud of the end result,” Dowsett stated.
Lidl-Trek go for unmarked helmets
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A sight we’re going to develop used to this season is that of Lidl-Trek riders sporting white, unmarked helmets in time trials.
The rationale for that is easy: the squad’s helmet provider, Trek, doesn’t make a time trial lid, so the crew has the liberty to buy round.
The crew taped over the MET branding on Søren Kragh Andersen’s helmet
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In a submit shared this March, the crew revealed that it has carried out velodrome and wind tunnel testing for every rider to work out which helmet works finest for his or her physique form.
For this reason some wore the Giro Aerohead II, made well-known by Visma-Lease a Bike and Canyon-SRAM, throughout stage two’s time trial, whereas others wore MET’s Drone Extensive Physique II, usually worn by UAE Staff Emirates.
In customary highway phases, Lidl-Trek’s riders depend on Trek’s Ballista helmet.
EF Schooling-EasyPost swap out the pink
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With customs in place to cease crew kits clashing with leaders’ jerseys, it has turn into customary for EF Schooling-Easypost and Rapha to launch new ‘changeout’ colors for the Giro.
This 12 months, the American squad has gone for a neat, white design, bejewelled with the identical motifs of its typical pink package. Earlier years have seen bolder seems, with multicoloured panels, recycled supplies, and even a cartoon picture of a duck, in a 2020 collaboration with streetwear model Palace.
