GCN Tech Show: Would Pogačar be faster without his helmet tuft?

The Tour de France starts tomorrow so it’s only fair that we tackle the question on everyone’s mind: is Tadej Pogačar’s famous hair tuft slowing him down? He’s a two-time Tour de France champion and one of the favourites for the 2023 race, and it’s almost inconceivable that he could get any faster. Our resident science nerd Ollie Bridgewood had a hunch that the Slovenian’s trademark tuft of hair could be costing him watts, though, so he headed to a wind tunnel to find out.

Elsewhere in the latest episode of the GCN Tech Show, we turn our attention to large time trial helmets which are becoming a regular sight at races. Are they just another episode in cycling’s long history of fashion fads that eventually disappear, only to be looked back on with amusement years later? Perhaps not. Ollie recently went under 19 minutes in a 10-mile time trial for the first time, and it could all have been down to his large helmet.

As always, it’s been a busy week in the world of tech and we round up all of the hottest new products, including special-edition Tour de France Oakley sunglasses, Selle Italia’s latest 3D saddle, a new Brooks gravel saddle, Factor’s mysterious new bike which is set to make its debut at the Tour de France, plus much more.

Before Alex and Ollie oversee Tech Show favourites Comments of the Week and Bike Vault, including a super-nice Colnago V3Rs.

Catch up on all of this, plus much more, in the latest GCN Tech Show.