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Advanced testing session for Contador and Giro in the Epsilon wind tunnel

Two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador took part in a six-hour testing session in the EPSILON wind tunnel for helmet suppliers Giro

EPSILON, 07/07/2010

Aerodynamic testing for the cycle helmet brand Giro and its revolutionary time trial helmet, used in this year’s Tour de France, was carried out at the EPSILON Technology Innovation Centre’s wind tunnel installations. The helmet tester was no other than Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador

Giro chose the EPSILON facilities to carry out its helmet testing as a wind tunnel is the perfect place for obtaining an exact measurement of the drag or resistance force exerted by the air as it is travelled through. Reducing this resistance increases speed, which is the basic aim of the aerodynamics study. The overall importance of the helmet is considered to be around 25%, and so aerodynamics is an important factor to take into account.

A special turntable was built for the tests, both for fixing the bicycle to allow normal pedalling and so that the angle of the bike could be changed to vary the angle of incidence of the air on the cyclist and helmet. In the study chamber, two screens were installed so that Alberto could see his position on the bike at all times and adapt it as necessary, together with other numerical parameters.

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