Advanced cycling ergometer offers cycling success for Team GB at Rio 2016

BAE Systems and UK Sport have revealed technology that could be pivotal to the success of the British Cycling team at Rio 2016.

The advanced cycling ergometer was developed by engineers at BAE Systems in conjunction with the team that won 9 medals during the summer games in 2012.

The ergometer measures the work-rate and energy expended by cyclists and is claimed to replicate the inertial forces of a velodrome more accurately than any other testing tool. Data collected includes gas and blood analysis, enabling testing at high speeds to analyse the athlete’s technique.

“We can help …athletes tune the amount of power that they generate and actually put through the device,” said Nigel Whitehead, BAE’s group managing director, programmes & support. “By having that sort of input during the training, development and working out how best to sit - how posture works to their best advantage – we can tune these things and give a marginal advantage.”