Cycling's governing body, the UCI has reviewed and approved Wahoo's new ELEMNT ACE bike computer for use in pro races in 2025.
You might think approval would be a done deal - after all, Wahoo have been in the game for a decade now and know the drill - but the ELEMNT ACE is a little different to your typical high-end cycling computer.
Of course, the ACE can do everything its rivals can - but the ace up its sleeve is an integrated wind sensor, which allows cyclists to measure the effects of air resistance in real-time.
The front of the device has a small opening behind which sits a wind pressure sensor that produces a metric the company call Wahoo Wind Dynamics (WWD). WWD gives riders real-time insight into what Wahoo call "AirBoost" - ie, when the rider's speed is aided by tailwinds or drafting - and "AirDrag", when groundspeed is hindered by headwinds.
In-ride data will help riders guide drafting positioning and quantify the sensation of wind felt by riders. In addition, the data gathered by riders using the ELEMNT ACE will create what Wahoo claim is the largest outdoor cycling real-world wind conditions dataset in the world.
This dataset will lay the ground for Wahoo and pro teams to analyse athletic performance in relation to wind.
Many of the world's best men's and women's pro teams will ride Wahoo computers in 2025 including UAE Team Emirates - XRG, LIDL - TREK, Team Picnic PostNL, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team and EF Pro Cycling as well as more than 25 other UCI-registered teams.
"The new ELEMNT ACE is a great addition to the existing Wahoo ecosystem of devices. The larger format, the vibrant touch screen and the much longer battery life are all great features that make this device a pleasure to use every day," said Jeroen Swart, Head of Performance, UAE Team Emirates.
"However, the ACE is not only a huge step up in terms of the device software and hardware but the additional metric of wind speed sets it apart from other devices in the game. Our riders are able to use real time data to optimise their position on the bike or their position in the bunch to save energy, providing them with valuable insights that they can translate into performance gains.
"We look forward to future updates where I'm sure this metric will evolve to offer even more insights."
Peter Schep, Head of Performance at EF Pro Cycling, echoed those comments: "The new ELEMNT ACE brings wind speed data in real-time which we think could be a game changer in drafting dynamics," he said.
"It's such a huge factor in how a race plays out, so we are very excited to be working closely with Wahoo on how to get the most out of the ACE's wind sensor for training and appropriate races."
Discover Wahoo's full line of products and apps at WahooFitness.com.
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