Riders launch from BMX-style gates in Tour of Holland time trials

For decades, a time trial start looked the same. One official counted down from five, another held the rider’s bike steady, and the clock started when the rider rolled off the ramp. But that method was never completely precise, with small variations between riders often causing frustration. In a sport decided by thousandths of a second, those differences can matter.

The new system, borrowed from BMX Supercross, changes that. Riders now line up behind a raised plate that tilts forward when the signal sounds, automatically triggering the timing system. The setup has been specially adapted for time trial bikes and used for the first time in professional road racing.

According to WielerFlits, team managers expressed concern during the team managers’ meeting, questioning the benefit of the innovation. The race organisation and the UCI, however, stood by the decision, emphasising that the automated start provides the most accurate and equal conditions possible.

With the overall standings in the Tour of Holland likely to be decided by seconds, the new gate system might turn out to be more than just a novelty. Its impact on the race could be significant if the time trials prove decisive.