Emma Pooley revealed that one key reason for her time trialling silver medal in Beijing was using specially-designed handlebars that allowed her to replicate her road-racing position.
?Just after the track World Cup last December I was out here with Dan [Hunt, women?s coach] and Doug [Dailey, logisitics manager] in the cold and snow.? Pooley said. ?I thought that?s a hard hill. I said that if I'd been on my road-bike, I?d be on the hoods a lot of the time.? Pooley explained.
?So we then thought about riding and designing a time trial bike with hoods, so it was like a road-bike. It?s not as aerodynamic, but if you can put more power down, then it?s worth doing it.?
?Then I got back here and nobody else had dodgy handlebars and then I thought, oh heck, maybe I?d better change back.?
But by then Pooley was commited and the policy paid off. ?I had my gears on the hoods, and I think actually that was the right choice because then I could imagine I was in a road race and off the front.?
Asked if in layman?s terms it meant she could maximise her power, she reponded, ?in layman?s terms it means you can go a lot faster! If you?re less aerodymanic, but you can go faster because you?re more comfortable, then it?s worth doing it.?
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Pooley's also radically changed her time trial position, in conjunction with Hunt and Chris Boardman.
"We've worked hard on my position," she said. "Look at photos of me from previous world championships, and I wasn't very aerodynamic. It's hard at my height to find a bike that fits. Dan and Chris worked on it and it's made a huge improvement."
Swipe to scroll horizontally
OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: NEWS
Positive test for cyclist at Olympic Games
Bettini chasing second Olympic gold
Romero poses nude for ad
British quartet eyeing new world record
As Olympics approach two new drugs emerge
Beijing Blog
Beijing Blog 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
OLYMPIC GAMES 2008: ROAD
Men's time trial reaction: Steve Cummings on his ride
Women's time trial reaction: I feel fantastic, says Pooley
Pooley wins silver in women's time trial
Cooke's secret was the skinsuit
What the papers say... about Nicole Cooke
Analysis: women's road race
Gold for Nicole Cooke in Women?s road race
Reaction: It?s a dream to win Gold, says Cooke
Women's Olympic road race picture special
Sanchez gives Spain gold in thrilling men?s road race
Who is Samuel Sanchez?
Tactical analysis: Reading the men?s Olympic road race
British riders suffer in hot and humid Olympic road race
Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
