"It allows you to get more aero" - Johan Bruyneel on why Jonas Vingegaard's extremely small cranks may benefit time-trial performances
Cycling
Cycling is a sport where in recent years there has been an enormous revolution when it comes to training performance, nutrition and aerodynamics. All this allows the riders to perform at an ever-increasing level, and this winter Team Visma | Lease a Bike extensively worked on a 'revolution' in the time-trial bikes for it's riders. Johan Bruyneel discusses his thoughts on the now famous 150mm cranks of Jonas Vingegaard.
This was spotted at the Volta ao Algarve time-trial, where the Danish rider's bike was completely different than what he had been on last year. Vingegaard was already a brilliant time-trialist, but against an unbeatable Tadej Pogacar, every detail matters and Visma not only began using a very different saddle on his and Wout van Aert's bike, but also severely shortened the length of the former Tour de France winner's cranks.
"Jonas Vingegaard's cranks... Tadej Pogacar comes into the 2024 season with radically shorter cranks, 165 milimeters. I think Vingegaard was on slightly longer ones, and instead of matching him, they jumped to 150 milimeter cranks," Spencer Martin said in 'The Move' podcast. "What were your thoughts when you heard this? I think they're too small in my opinion".
Johan Bruyneel commented, pointing out that obviously this wasn't first tested in Portugal, but was a project during the winter and the team already knew it could work well. "He did win the time-trial and won the overall, so they worked for him. The thing is... I heard in the off-season somebody who said Visma is working on very short cranks 150 with SRAM. 'I said wow 150 that's really short'. Back in the days it was 172.5, 175... Riders who were shorter were using 170 cranks... 165 Pogacar was kind of, I won't say a revolution but it was not usual. But man 150 is 2 centimeters shorter than the shortest cranks we were used to".
During the road stages it does not seem to be the case, but against the clock this detail seemed to have contributed towards a brilliant performance that earned the Dane the stage and GC win - whilst both João Almeida and Primoz Roglic struggled quite a lot.
On the why this change has been made, the Belgian pundit has one clear point in mind that may have been decisive: "...I think there's two things to consider: Time-trial bikes where it kind of makes sense because it allows you to get more aero, because obviously your knees and your upper leg don't come as high so you can bend over better. Do you lose power? I would say with my own way of thinking yes, but apparently it's not the case".
TT is a highly uncomfortable natural position, you have to practice it a lot, anything that makes it more comfortable will make it easier to keep up high power.
I'm 5'11" and use 160mm cranks, this was a game changer for me. You can get more aero because the hip angle is more open. Make a BIG difference on the TT bike and if you stay pretty aero on the road bike it helps there as well.
Good post AWP. There is more to this than you would initialy think.
As I posted elsewhere, it would be ludicrous to expect a one or two or 3 size(s) fits all optimally for maximum efficiency. It’s like saying all runners should run with the same shoes in their size.
How do you consider your lower/upper body ratio, standard or do you have overlong legs or torso, arms? Also how about upper/lower leg proportion? Anyone who’s gone through bike fitting, did they advise on crank length?
I've never been advised about cranks and I've ridden a 54cm or medium my whole adult life. I'm a bit leggy, not too bad though.
Thanks, I’m a bit the opposite, not really useful in cycling ;-)
Actually, 54 seems rather small considering height, is that because of the legginess, does your saddle stick out quite a lot?
Just in
Play for FREE! Fantasy Paris-Roubaix
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
Popular news
Latest comments
- Shoulda , woulda, coulda.... pundits can say what they like cycling isn't quite like that and that's what keeps us watching, what keeps sponsors interested etc etcslappers6611-04-2025
- One bike throw at Flanders and a series of mechanicals at Roubaix, and yes, he could have won both, and Van der Poel would have two less on his list. Wout van Aert will likely never reach the magical space of the year he won on Ventoux, the TT, and the Champs Elysées during the Tour, and he's just that tiny notch below the best right now, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a chance. It's Paris-Roubaix, you never know who is going to really make the difference.RidesHills11-04-2025
- The race is NOT on MAX. It's on NBC Sports (Peacock).Ben11-04-2025
- Hard men heal quickly.bobo11-04-2025
- Always reassuring to see articles that explain timelines so well, almost 3 months since when, mid-October then? But if Wout can come back like he did in 5 months so can he. By May he should be in top form again, just in time to let it settle in a while for July. Happy you’re back Remco, go catch em.Mistermaumau11-04-2025
- Yeah, sorry, you said it yourself, it’s the Olympics, not a WC, not a Tour, not a monument, not a team event, not a cycling gala. A once every 4 year event to bring nations together to celebrate the diversity of sport, so what if breakdancing has been included instead of 30 more cyclists who are paid pros? Know your Olympic history, remember drawing? The whole reason of the Olympics is for mainstream public to discover sport they rarely notice, for sports to showcase themselves to public that doesn’t usually watch and in order for athletes from lower ranked nations to participate with the elite for once. The US (now Jamaïca) have known this problem since dominating sprinting but there is no solution, you cannot resolve the Celebrate every nation vs Have only the best equation, it has to be a mix. Already nations with more than 1 cyclist have an advantage, being able to work as a team. As for those countries that can’t keep up, all the better for the elite’s chances, don’t knock it, and sorry but if you allow a Kiesenhofer to win gold, you don’t deserve any medal as an elite. The races have been fine with those that took part, just improve so you make your national selection, if you don’t make that, you don’t really deserve a medal anyway do you?Mistermaumau11-04-2025
- so excited to see remco back!! Cycling only gets better from herebruins3011-04-2025
- That tire clearance means little with the new UCI rules on tire width.Veganpotter11-04-2025
- If you do the rounds on non-Anglo commentators you’ll find plenty more, every cycling nation has good and bad ones.Mistermaumau10-04-2025
- Nathan is one of the best former pros commenting during races - up there with Sean Kelly and Nico Roche imo - McEwen, Blythe, you can keep themCrashjames10-04-2025