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For this eddition of Time Trial Tuesday we bring you some light reading as the dust has settles in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE Tour is one of the first Time Trial outings of the year for the UCI calendar, and in 2025 this didn’t disappoint.

The UAE Tour TT is typically fast, very fast and it also showcases what is ahead for the 2025 season, with most teams testing their equipment ahead of arguably the more important races of the year. The trends that have emerged from this race? Well, not many surprises and much more of what has been seen in 2024.

Big Chainrings

Large chainrings for the win. No surprises here, this was the state of play in 2024 but what is surprising is that teams are still leaving performance on the table. Even SRAM has now accommodated teams' requests for larger 1x options, first seen under Wout van Aert at the Paris Olympics.

While the exact size required is rider-specific, based on the achievement of the optimal power and cadence, what can be generalized here is that 64-68t was the optimal range for the UAE Tour. When the speeds are nudging 57 km/h, the larger chainring is required to place the chain further up the cassette (larger cog), with a straighter chain line. For example, an increase in chainring size of 4 teeth, will move you from the 13t cog, to the 14t cog, with no change of power or cadence. If you have the option of riding the 14t gog vs the 13t cog, you take the 14t (and a straighter chain line), every time.

For Triathlon application, the common chainring sizes are now 58-64t and for UCI TT application 60-68t chainrings are now commonplace. On the road, 56t is now commonplace and 54t is now seen as a “light” option on the road. In 2025 the TT tech is fast infiltrating the road.

Short or Long?

Positions are evolving, and we are at the start of a real shift in perspectives on aero positioning. 

Positions are trending “shorter” in the UCI scene, as we recently wrote about here. In the Triathlon scene the trend is to explore length, with more forward placement of the arm cups. In the UCI scene, the trend is to explore shorter positions, reducing the distance that the forearm and upper arm are away from the thigh. In simple terms, the more compact position offers aero potential, but as with every detail, understanding the tradeoffs is critical.

As a brand that is active in this space we always encourage exploration and finding and finding the most optimal solution. In the middle of the range (length) biomechanical stability can be found, where joint angles and mass distribution balance out, with little effort required to maintain a steady position. Going shorter (the current UCI trend) and going longer (the current Triathlon trend) can both improve aero performance, but often come at a cost to position consistency (the ability to maintain your best aero position).

Garment Evolution 

Skinsuit evolution continues, with new fabrics emerging, both single layer with texture and dual layer with texture. The garment space has seen a rapid evolution over the past 12-18 months and this is really coming to the fore in competition at the moment. Most teams having a preferred option for a sock, shoe cover and skinsuit, with texture in strategic locations. 

The challenge is executing this strategy in environments that place the human body at it’s physiological limit …. Such as racing in the heat of the UAE Tour. A short TT is one thing, a road stage is another. What translates here to the Triathlon space is the development of fabrics that achieve both thermoregulation and aerodynamic demands. With the advancement of single-layer fabrics, expect to see a step forward with Triathlon garments in 2025.

Ergonomically Considered Saddles

The biomechanical considerations of time trial positioning are not rocket science, in fact they are quite simple, and they start with a saddle design that supports the range of torso angles that are relevant to the cycling discipline. For TT, that means a low torso angle. 

Saddles are in vogue and finally getting the attention they deserve. As one of the most important enablers, just like the use of “short” cranks, saddle choice is one of the most critical considerations in establishing an optimised TT position, for all disciplines.

It seems that 2025, at least in the UCI cycling scene, will be the start of a lot more to come in this space. No surprise, when one particular team started focusing on this piece of equipment in 2024.

Bring on 2025!