The Spin - New Dimensions

As Ollie Jones wins a Dimension Data deal through being good at a video game, we look at this and other 2018 pro cycling innovations

- Ollie Jones

Until recently pro cycling had a deserved reputation for its oil tanker-like approach to innovation. It was, somewhat ironically now in light of recent developments, Team Sky that gave a shot in the arm (no pun intended) to a new era of thinking. While Sir Dave Brailsford’s ‘Aggregation of Marginal Gains’ philosophy is, for many, discredited post-Fancy Bears/ Jiffy Bag-gate, the team did inject (there we go again) impetus into the sport. Bringing in sports scientists and challenging perceived wisdom in its approach to Grand Tour preparation forced other teams to think outside the box. And the 2018 season sees no shortage of forward thinking.

Irish Pro Continental outfit Aqua Blue Sport has opted for a radical technology choice, using the new 3T Strada bike, complete with disc brakes (itself a creeping innovation) and eye-catchingly, a single SRAM For