The 36-year-old Belgian, who won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in
2012, stepped down from his role as sports director at Israel-Premier Tech at
the end of 2024. Reflecting on the evolution of rider positioning, he noted, "You’ll see that Merckx was much more stretched out and lower on the bike.
That’s how it was back then, the saddle positioned far back with little
so-called ‘drop,’ the vertical distance between the top of the handlebars and
the saddle. This position drew nearly all the power from the upper legs and put
a lot of strain on the lower back."
Vanmarcke highlighted how aerodynamics have reshaped riding
styles, "There is much more focus on aerodynamics, which is clearly
visible in how handlebars have developed over time. They are now much lower
than before and have also become significantly narrower.
"At the beginning of my
career, I rode with handlebars that were 44 centimetres wide. By the time I
retired, we were down to 38 centimetres, and today, even 36 centimetres is no
longer unusual."
He also pointed out the shift in saddle positioning, "The saddle is also positioned much further forward than it used to be.
When I started, seat posts would naturally be angled backward, whereas now they
are completely straight. The setback (the horizontal distance between the
saddle’s tip and the bottom bracket) is much smaller than before. This makes
the riding position more aerodynamic but also less comfortable."
Discussing Tadej Pogacar’s approach, Vanmarcke observed, "Pogacar pays extreme attention to his hip angle. That’s why he even uses
short 165-millimeter cranks. The longer the cranks, the higher the foot rises
during the pedal stroke, which pushes the upper legs more toward the torso.
What stands out to me is that Pogačar rides in a fairly upright position."
What about
Wout van Aert? Vanmarcke shared an interesting
insight, "One observation I made as a pro: to what extent do riders
actually maintain their ideal, millimeter-perfect position under full effort? I
see many riders sliding forward, right to the tip of their saddle. The
exception is Van Aert, who always uses the entire seating surface."
Vanmarcke concluded with his personal experience of trying
new aerodynamic innovations: "I’ve tried all the aerodynamic innovations
on the road, including shorter cranks. My feeling is that they mainly benefit
you on climbs or during long solo attacks.
"But I was never that kind of rider.
It's important to be aware of all the latest advancements, but even more
important is that your position on the bike feels right. Otherwise, you have a
problem."