8 free-speed gains for road racers (that aren't a higher FTP)

Sitting in a bunch can cut your drag dramatically, which is why so much of a road race feels manageable. But it's the sudden moves that decide results — going with the break, bridging a gap, a lead-out, a solo attack — all need higher top speeds and facing the wind with no shelter.

In those moments, on flat and rolling roads, aerodynamic drag is the main force you're fighting. Every watt your kit saves is a watt you can put into the move instead.

Most road races are won by the rider who spends the least energy getting to the decisive moment. That comes down to where you ride, not just how hard.

Position: Stay near the front third of the bunch, where you're sheltered but not stuck behind the accordion effect at the back. Move up before the moments that split the bunch: climbs, crosswind sections, narrow roads and feed zones. Chasing back on costs far more than being in position early.

Wind: In a crosswind, sit on the sheltered side of the rider ahead, not directly behind. Check the wind direction before the race.

Handling: Look ahead, not at the wheel in front. Brake before the corner, hold a smooth line and accelerate out gradually. Every hard sprint out of a corner costs energy you'll need later, and abrupt braking in a bunch spreads the effort back through the field.

Pacing in a road race isn't about steady power, it's about spending your hard efforts where they count. To do that, you need to know what you can do.

A power meter shows you your best efforts for 20 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes and 20 minutes. Those numbers show you what you can afford: how many hard efforts, how long, and what's left for the finish.

Don't spend them early. A surge to follow an early move feels free but burns a match you may need on the final climb. Save your hard efforts for the moments that decide the race, such as a split, a key climb or the finish.

After each race, look at your file. Where did you spend your efforts, and were they where the race was won? Use those numbers to plan the next one.

A jersey and bib shorts leave a seam, a flapping hem and loose fabric right where airflow is most sensitive. A road skinsuit removes all of it — and modern suits are built for racing all day, with proper rear pockets.

The One Road Race Suit uses fabrics that, until recently, were reserved for the world's most elite riders. It has two rear pockets plus two mesh number panels: UCI races now require numbers pinned on the outside, and the mesh takes pins without damaging the suit.

Your lower legs spin through the airflow for the entire race. Textured aero socks keep air attached around the calf for longer, reducing the turbulent wake behind your legs.

They weigh next to nothing, cost far less than a set of deep wheels, and work in every road race, crit and chaingang.

Your hands sit right at the front of the bike, in clean air, and they're an awkward shape. Aero Mitts use the same textured fabric as our socks across the back of the hand to keep airflow attached, with a padded, gripper-lined palm for comfort over long races.

Racing in a short-sleeved suit? Aero sleeves give you much of the benefit of a long-sleeved skinsuit, and come off when it gets hot.

Long road races are decided late, so the rider who has eaten is the one with legs left in the final hour.

Start early. Eat from the first hour, before you feel hungry, and keep eating regularly instead of waiting for gaps in the racing. A commonly recommended range for long races is around 60 to 90 g of carbohydrate per hour, but how much you can tolerate is individual.

Practise it. Your gut adapts to eating on the bike, so rehearse your race-day fuelling and drinks in training. Never try something new in a race.

Plan where it's coming from: bottles, pockets or feed zones. Decide before the start so it doesn't distract you mid-race.

Winter is when many riders give up on aerodynamics. They pull on baggy thermals, and the extra fabric flaps and bunches in the wind. Cold-weather racing and fast winter training rides don't have to cost you speed.

Our Long Sleeve Aero Jersey is built to keep you warm without losing the aero detail. The sleeves use the same stripe technology as our aero socks, which trips the airflow around the arm to reduce drag. The torso fabric is ultra flexible, so it sits close and comfortable for hours.

It's fleece lined and hydrophobic, so you stay warm and dry in bad weather. The fabric is pre-dyed black, so it keeps its colour through wet, dirty and oily winter riding.