Revolutionary saddle, new cockpit and shorter cranks: Vingegaard's time trial equipment did not disappoint in the Algarve

It marked Visma | Lease a Bike’s first individual time trial victory in nearly a year, and the Dutch squad went all out for the first real test against the clock in 2025. Footage from iBike Studio’s Instagram account, filmed in Algarve, captured some of the team’s latest innovations, as they inspected the team’s time trial bikes before the stage—which were looking flawless.

That account captured footage of a new aerodynamic cockpit on the Cervélo bike, which was also fitted with an unusually small saddle. It certainly paid off for Jonas Vingegaard, who was also wearing a new helmet. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider completed the time trial significantly faster than all his competitors.

As shown in video footage by iBike Studio, Jonas Vingegaard rode with extremely short cranks—just 150 millimeters—the component connecting the pedals to the bottom bracket. Visma | Lease a Bike CEO Richard Plugge had already hinted at this on the team’s media day. "I’m sure UAE has copied things from us, just as we’ve done from them," he acknowledged at the time.

"An example? Pogacar riding with short cranks—that was a bold move on their part, and I respect that. But there are more examples. We all keep an eye on each other. I remember when we were the first to introduce personal mattresses—less than a day later, other teams had them too. Our mechanics and sports directors have one main task before the start of any race: walk past the team cars and inspect the bikes." Theoretically, shorter cranks should allow riders to transfer power to the pedals more efficiently.

One thing is clear: UAE and Visma | Lease a Bike—just like their stars Pogacar and Vingegaard—are fully engaged in the battle for 2025. "It’s fantastic to have a team like UAE as a rival. Of course, winning is great, but they push us to new heights. Of course, we take inspiration from them. Back in 2014, I studied Shane Bannon’s Orica team. When he left, I started looking more at Sky and INEOS, and I learned a lot from them. Just as we now analyze UAE and others," Plugge explained.

"If we want to beat Pogacar and UAE, we have to improve. They’ve made huge strides in terms of professionalism, but now it’s up to us to find the next step, Head of Racing Grischa Niermann echoed this sentiment in La Nucia. "That’s our main focus—figuring out how to get better."

And their efforts are already paying off. Vingegaard’s success in the Algarve was a welcome early-season boost. "I think this course provided a fair test. Success here is directly linked to having strong legs. This is definitely a confidence boost for the rest of the season, and I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead," said the Danish champion, who will next take on a team time trial with Visma | Lease a Bike at Paris-Nice.