We've seen how the Tour de France we're about to embark on has been designed by the organizers to be incredibly tough and spectacular, to say the least. Technically, the riders of the Total Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team will face a start with a few sprints and several steep climbs, before testing themselves in mid-September on the formidable high-altitude finishes of the French Alps. Only the fittest will hold their own: they will be the ones fighting for the yellow jersey in the only time trial stage, an uphill one at that, before the final parade in Paris. What wheels will support our riders' efforts?
For the Tour, the Total Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team has selected the TS evo carbon road bike wheelset (obviously in their disc brake version, which is now a standard in its own right, even for road cycling).
We're talking about tried-and-tested full-carbon rims for 24 mm tubulars, suitable for a variety of routes. On their Wilier Triestina bikes, the French team's riders will alternate between 37 mm rims ( Miura TS37 evo disc), designed for endurance-type routes with elevation changes, and 50 mm rims ( Miura TS47 evo disc), often chosen for mixed routes with fast sections. Depending on the day's route, each specialist will try to find the setup that best emphasizes their characteristics.
Whatever the individual riders' choice, they will have access to a top-of-the-line product. The Ursus research and development department has developed all the wheels in the TS evo line taking into account the needs of top champions over at least fifteen years of intensive use at the professional level. To meet their needs, Ursus has sought to combine the best balance between lightness (always important when it comes to competition), rigidity, and reliability in this segment of wheels.
Endurance stages, ups and downs and high-altitude finishes: Miura TS37 evo disc
Stiffness, in particular, is crucial to ensuring optimal cycling performance. Wheels must form a system that is as integrated with the bike as possible, providing the stability needed to maintain power while pushing.
Thanks to the thru-axle hub, the Miura TS37 Evo disc allows rouleurs and climbers like Calmejane to experience spectacular responsiveness and handling , especially when cornering, a situation where other wheel models suffer more from lateral stress. The full carbon rim of our wheels has a 37 mm profile, a size that is an excellent solution for challenging mountain stages like the Grand Colombier (stage 15). The wheel must be high enough to offer aerodynamic support to the rider, but at the same time it must remain steerable in crosswind conditions.
Flat, fast stages with a final sprint: in pursuit of victory with the Miura TS47 evo disc
If we talk about the Miura TS47 Evo Disc, we think of race situations with less steep altimetry , in which we can easily foresee a sprint finish that is more on the cards for sprinters like our Bonifazio.
This could be the case, for example, of the opening stage, Nice-Nice, a 156km mostly flat ride around the French Riviera city. Here, the aerodynamic package applied to the 50mm profile could certainly provide something extra in the pursuit of a stage win, the stated goal of the 26-year-old from Cuneo and the entire team.
Relaunches, another secret of Ursus wheels
Even during the relaunch phase, the Miura TS Evo Disc wheels perform quite well, minimizing energy loss between pedal and hub. For the rider, this translates into the ability to maintain a more consistent explosive power output throughout the race, gaining precious seconds in the overall standings. Whether standing on the pedals or preparing for the decisive sprint: this is where the champions of the Total Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team will truly experience the smoothness of Ursus wheels.
The Ursus hub: the technological heart of the Miura TS evo disc
The absolute quality of the hub is the true secret to the success of these Ursus models. Constantly tested and developed for years, our hubs have achieved a level of manufacturing precision that truly makes the difference. Only by testing them will an expert cyclist be able to perceive the absolute absence of play between their components, made possible by numerically controlled production that ensures infinitesimal tolerances on individual parts.
In conclusion
In this overview, we learned more about the Ursus carbon road bike wheels supplied to the Total Direct Energie Pro Cycling Team, comparing their characteristics to different race conditions and identifying some typical stages where they could make the difference. All that's left to do is sit back and cheer on our guys, confident they've done a great job once again. Once again, happy Tour de France to everyone!
