Paris-Roubaix 2025, Van Aert has a secret weapon: what is the Gravaa system and how does it work?

Rome, 11 April 2025 - The first frame of the approach march of Wout van aert to the Paris-Roubaix 2025, scheduled Sunday April 13, is not the most auspicious: a skid on the most famous cobblestones in the world that almost caused a rider to fall who was already struggling with a period of bad luck. It is impossible to predict all the unforeseen events around the corner in one of the most exciting races in this sense, but the Visma-Lease a Bike try to provide the Belgian with a means capable of overcoming one of the most common setbacks in theHell of the North.  

Van Aert's Secret Weapon at Paris-Roubaix 2025

Many of the fortunes in the Paris-Roubaix revolve around the tires, their pressure and, even worse, the much feared punctures. To try to put themselves in an advantageous position over their rivals, the Visma-Lease a Bike offers Van Aert il Gravaa system, in reality already subject to a long phase of experimentation and related positive results. Using a small compressor and a tube connected to one of the spokes of the wheel, the runner can adjust tire pressure directly on the go and without stopping its movement. The device is operated from the handlebars, on which there are two buttons that allow you to lower or raise, depending on the need, the pressure of the tires, which in the third Classical Monument of the year becomes a factor almost more important than all the others.

It is well known that on cobblestones a lower pressure is preferable to increase grip and adherence, while on asphalt smoothness is preferred, which comes with a higher pressure.

Van Aert should start with a lead

So, at least in this respect, Van Aert should start with a good advantage: all the more so because the system Gravaa it's not unheard of at home Visma-Lease a Bike. Curiously enough, the debut came right in the Paris-Roubaix but del 2023, when the device was used Edward Affini, Christophe Laporte e Dylan VanBaarleAt the time, it was in full experimental phase and in fact in 2024 the system Gravaa disappeared from the radar. Then the victorious return in 2025: the rising stars took advantage of it Matthew Brennan since GP Denain and the revived one Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, excellent third place at Giro delle Fiandre 2025. Yet, all that glitters is not gold, at least if we are to believe the words of Nathan Van Hooydonck, a former runner in the team Visma-Lease a Bike which, evidently, he experimented with before retiring Gravaa and for which the big favourite on Sunday is Filippo Gana.

"The system can be used as many times as you want, because it recharges as long as you pedal. The problem is that to re-inflate the tires you have to pedal harder and, consequently, on asphalt you need to produce a little more power than your opponents". In short, in the era of cycling that is often almost a slave to watt data, this is not the best news but, on the other hand, a small disadvantage in the context of a potentially decisive tool had to exist.

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