– Yes. You don’t want to risk people coming and complaining about him too, smiles Kristian Blummenfelt about the secrecy. For the Olympics in Tokyo, the Norwegian triathlon team had developed a new bicycle handlebar that the competitors complained about, and which was later banned. But that hasn’t stopped them from thinking completely new things about the games in Paris as well. CHAMPIONS: Kristian Blummenfelt won Olympic gold in the triathlon in Tokyo in 2021. Now they should have made the suit even better, and a little less white. Photo: Icon Sport For almost three years, they have worked to improve the competition uniform from Tokyo. In June, it was too early to show anything, but during the triathletes’ stay at altitude in France, there have been some drops in the social media testing. – We have tried to keep it hidden for as long as possible, but now it is too late for others to do anything about it. Besides, it’s not enough to see, you almost have to know, says trainer and researcher Olav Aleksander Bu. The ticket shows the reigning Olympic champion riding a special bicycle with a white suit full of seams and small threads. Checking the regulations TEST SUIT: The unfinished Olympic suit looked like this during testing. Photo: Santara Technology/Roj Ferman It is a prototype, or a development tool, to better understand how the air stream moves around the body. An aerodynamic system has also been installed on the bike. This is how they measure, among other things, how aerodynamic the suit is, i.e. how they can ensure that it is adapted to different movements at high speed – because they can see how the wind affects the various threads. – In triathlon, we currently do not have the same rules as they have in cycling, for example on the material. So that means that the long-distance suit I already have is faster than an aero jersey on a bike. And that’s a bit of what I’m trying to get back into the Olympic suit. We look at what is actually the fastest, and how we can use the regulations, to see what is legal, says Blummenfelt. TESTING: A team led by trainer Olav Aleksander Bu (th) takes measurements during a training session at a meeting in Font-Romeu, France. Photo: Santara TechnologyRoj Ferman Bu is behind much of the technology, together with the company Supras. The prototype has exceeded expectations, believes Bu, who is already well known for his many tests, experiments and new technology. – I think there may be some complaints when others get to see the latest version. But with a little creativity, there are some openings for how you can do things within the regulations, and that is us, he says. The entire Norwegian triathlon squad will wear the suit, which they are waiting to show off publicly until they are in place in Paris. Can last over two minutes (!) Triathlon in the Olympics consists of 1500 meters of swimming, 40 kilometers of cycling and 10 kilometers of running. And especially on a bicycle, they have seen that there is a lot to gain. Especially if you are at the front of a field, moving or are alone in a breach. – There is no question of margins anymore. I have measured 142 seconds on a bicycle, i.e. over two minutes, reveals Bu, who believes the development will arouse curiosity in many circles. – I have managed to take a good number of seconds off just with the suit, yes, so it will be exciting to get it out on the Olympic track, says gold hope Blummenfelt. “NORMAL” OUTFIT: Kristian Blummenfelt during a test competition for the Olympics in Paris last year. Photo: Icon Sport In against the hot and humid weather in Tokyo, they had a lot of focus on creating a fabric that could transport the heat out as best as possible. And even if similar weather is not reported in Paris, thermoregulation and thermodynamics are an important part of the process. They therefore carefully study how the suit works on a body that works hard and gets both hot and wet. – We have done tests with sensors both on the skin and under the suit, and we have made the fabric so that it imitates skin as much as possible. It has extreme breathing properties, says Bu. I will see the finished suit when the triathlon men go out for their individual distance in Paris on 30 July. Published 17.07.2024, at 05.19
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Keep new super suit secret – fear of complaints to the Olympics – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
