Video: Geraint Thomas finds marginal gains at the velodrome

GCN has produced an interesting video following Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas as he looks for improvements in aerodynamic efficiency at the velodrome in Palma, Mallorca.

Surprisingly, given Team Sky’s well-known focus on the aggregation of marginal gains (lots of small improvements make a big improvement, essentially), Geraint reveals that he hasn’t spent any time working on his aero position over the past four years.

As well as finding an efficient position, Geraint has to work on exercises that give him the strength to maintain that position while racing.

“On the bike there are always new things and you keep trying to push the limit and try to improve all the time,” he says.

Team Sky’s chief data analyst Robby Ketchell says, “Everyone thinks that lower is better, but it not necessarily is. Everybody is different so you have to find what works for you. 

“Typically you can find… equipment that fits on your body better by listening to the wind around you. You can hear when it’s buffeting or if it’s whistling with certain types of equipment, so try to make it as quiet as you can. The best time triallists in the world, that’s what they do.”