Anne Haug Visits the Wind Tunnel
Anne Haug is a force to be reckoned with, with accolades including a win at the 2019 Ironman World Championship. We already enjoyed a look at her bike fit updates for 2020 – and a trip to the wind tunnel was scheduled to see the aerodynamic effects of those changes, along with tests for new clothing and other details. This photo essay will show some of the day’s work from the GST Wind Tunnel in Immenstaad, Germany.
Some of Haug’s key equipment includes her Cervelo bike, DT Swiss wheels, and Uvex helmet.
Technicians install Haug’s bike to the test rig while she suits up.
Jean-Paul Ballard of Swiss Side is the man-with-the-plan for today’s wind tunnel test. The detailed test protocol is reviewed before the action begins.
Analog gauges and old-school buttons are reminiscent of decades past. The facility was originally used to test military aircraft and equipment – but now can serve the needs of high-performance triathletes and cyclists.
The front wheel is driven by a small motor to approximately 45kph. The rear wheel must be powered by the athlete during tests.
A turbine sucks in air from outdoors, to a speed of 45kph around the athlete. The ideal testing temperature is 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 Celsius), but the wind chill factor makes it feel much cooler to those in the tunnel.
This test included two yaw angles – zero and ten degrees. The bicycle platform is a turntable, and can rotate for different wind angles and testing protocols.
Anne and crew actually took the time to recreate her bike position from her victory in Kona 2019, to test it directly against the new positional changes for 2020.
Even champions need a break from time to time – while tweaks are made to her aerobars.
This device is called a Wind Rake. We’re told that it measures the energy lost in airflow, and where those losses occur.
Each test run is numbered for accurate record keeping.
Haug is all smiles after a long day of testing. Also visible is one of her latest equipment updates – a Gebiomized Stride saddle.
After all of the testing was said and done, Haug’s positional and equipment changes proved to be beneficial. While much of the 2020 racing season became a wash due to the global pandemic, Haug looks optimistically into the 2021 season, and proving her performance improvements in the real world.
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