'17 watts faster' - Double disc wheels help propel Wout van Aert to bronze in Olympics time trial

Belgian earns final podium spot using unorthodox wheel set-up

Wout van Aert at the Paris Olympics
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The two seconds that secured Wout van Aert's place on the podium in the Paris Olympics time trial may have been down to his use of a front disc wheel. 

The Belgian decided to use the unorthodox set-up, rarely seen on the road due to handling difficulties in crosswinds, after being spotted trialling it on his recon of the course. He went on to win a bronze medal in the event, afterwards explaining the gains he believed he got from the double discs. 

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Tom Davidson
Senior News Writer

Tom joined Cycling Weekly as a news and features writer in the summer of 2022, having previously contributed as a freelancer. He is the host of The TT Podcast, which covers both the men's and women's pelotons and has featured a number of prominent British riders.

An enthusiastic cyclist himself, Tom likes it most when the road goes uphill and actively seeks out double-figure gradients on his rides.