TRAINING CAMP Astana Pro Team and Specialized at Calpe

Specialized saddles have taken center stage at the second training camp attended by Specialized Racing. Three days of intense Body Geometry Fit were held in Calpe together with the Astana Pro Team. Eighteen riders underwent Body Geometry Fit sessions, including ten new riders arriving from other teams.

To evaluate the best saddle choice for each rider, Specialized relies on the pressure mapping system.

“In this particular case, the rider was experiencing discomfort on the nose of the saddle he was riding. A pressure map test was performed to understand the current situation. As seen from below (Picture 1) the pressure map shows the rider was in fact sitting on a great deal of soft tissue in the center of the saddle, as opposed to sitting on sit bones, which we consider both healthier and more efficient long term for the rider. The rider was then placed on another saddle that placed him more on sit bones and pubic rami, but still experienced a little bit of soft tissue pressure discomfort (See Picture 2). Finally on the third saddle he was sitting on his sit bones, with no soft tissue pressure coming from the center of the saddle (See Picture 3). This gives more support underneath the rider and will allow him to sit in an aggressive position for longer periods of time without discomfort, so he can concentrate solely on riding.” said Matt Mangen, Specialized Saddle Associate Product Manager.

Specialized Racing at its Second Training Camp Stop

Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Most of the new riders remarked that they never took part in a similar check before. Before making any adjustment to the bike, the fitters consider the body characteristics which vary from person to person. Each rider experiencing a Body Geometry Fit session expressed their satisfaction at the end of the work done together with Specialized’s fitters. The feedback obtained after the riders’ training the next day confirmed the position and improvement in terms of comfort and efficiency.

Liewe Westra, veteran of the team said, “Last year we did not spend time on the TT bike position. This year, I think it’s important. I’ve been two times National Champion and I want to start winning again.”

Paolo Tiralongo lamented problems with his feet and perineum. At the end of the Body Geometry Fit session, a problem in his right knee was discovered, which could be solved by properly supporting his foot.

Dr. Andy Pruitt, Director of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine said, “It has been very important to have Matt [Mangen] here because he could hear the riders’ feedback and explain the reasons why

something should be adjusted.” He added, “Thanks to the pressure mapping, they could confirm if their feelings were real or not and help them choose the right saddle. Since we’re been the industry leader in saddle design for almost twenty years now, it’s part of our job to keep pushing comfort and performance. For this reason, we have a wide variety of saddles available to the riders. Another interesting thing is that the veterans of the team are happy with the work we’ve done in the past and we spent the most of our time with the new riders that have never been through the Body Geometry Fit process.”