Full control for bike training thanks to smart sensors
No turn of the pedals goes unnoticed, every food intake is logged, every rest phase recorded: Professional cyclists are monitored almost around the clock during training and races, thanks to the latest technology. The latest applications focus on aspects such as body temperature, individualised nutrition control and stress management.
We present the three smart sensors from Core, Supersapiens and Whoop and the associated apps, which were used in professional cycling for the first time last season.
Core - Body temperature monitoring
The fear of overheating drives cyclists, because if the body gets too hot, performance suffers enormously and immediately. Professional cyclists have been using cooling waistcoats for years, usually just before the race. The aim is to preventively lower the body temperature in order to have greater reserves for the inevitable rise in temperature during the race. The sensor from Core, on the other hand, is designed to enable continuous temperature monitoring. The feather-light sensor, which is only the size of a fingernail, is stuck to the skin under the chest or attached to the pulse belt with a clip. The results are processed in real time in the easy-to-understand app and can also be transferred to a mobile device by simply pairing them. GPS devices from Garmin and Wahoo. In order to utilise the collected data, however, you need some expert knowledge and a good self-assessment (or wealth of data) for your own body. Athletes with the Core sensor were extremely successful in the extreme conditions during the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo: Olympic road race champions Richard Carapaz and Anna Kiesenhoferboth drove with the real-time temperature gauge.
Cost point: around 250 Euro
Info www.corebodytemp.com
+ Simple installation; connection to Garmin and Wahoo devices
- App does not provide any help for data interpretation
Supersapiens - Glucose tracking
The Ineos-Grenadiers and Jumbo-Visma teams have not only dominated the grand tours such as Tour de France or VueltaThey are also regarded as the technological spearheads of the professional peloton. Both teams used Supersapiens glucose tracking for the first time last season, but its use in races has since been banned by the UCI.
The principleA sensor on the back of the upper arm determines the glucose values in the body in real time, stores the permanently collected data for up to eight hours and forwards it to the associated app. The processed data can be used to create personalised nutrition strategies for training, competition and regeneration.
The app can already be paired with Garmin and Apple devices, but other brands are not yet compatible; integration has been announced for 2022. The Supersapiens display wristband (160 euros) can be purchased as an option or the data can be analysed via the app after training or competition. According to the manufacturer, a sensor lasts an average of 14 days.
Cost point: A starter set with two sensors costs 150 euros; a season-accompanying 18-week set costs 700 euros.
Info www.supersapiens.com
+ Detailed nutrition tracking; easy to understand app
- Pairing caused problems; new sensors needed regularly
WHOOP - intelligent fitness tracker
The wristband worn by the pros from the EF Education-EasyPost World Tour team
differs significantly from other fitness trackers: the data is analysed solely via the app, there is no display. The waterproof band fits comfortably, but must also be worn continuously in order to obtain meaningful data. Whoop focuses on stress management. The parameters of recovery, sleep and exertion are recorded and measured values such as heart rate variability and resting heart rate are used. The app can also differentiate between up to 60 types of sport via the heart rate profile. In our test, this worked perfectly for jogging, cycling, tennis and basketball. The data collected provides recommendations on rest and sleep phases and predictions on exercise capacity on certain days. The app has recently been available in German.
Cost pointBilling is based on a subscription model and costs between 18 and 30 euros per month, depending on the agreed term.
NoteSynchronisation from tracker to app took up to an hour in the test and consumed a few percent of the mobile phone battery.
Info www.whoop.com
+ System learns; intelligent sports tracking; German-language app
- Synchronisation draws a lot of battery
