KEY POINTS:
BEIJING - New Zealand will unleash two slick new track cycling suits at the Beijing Olympic Games, after testing in France and rider reaction proved a hit.
One of the new aerodynamic suits is made of a less breathable material than the other, so will be worn in shorter races by individual pursuiters Hayden Roulston and Alison Shanks, and the men's teams pursuit.
Catherine Cheatley and Greg Henderson will use the more breathable version in the points races at the Laoshan Velodrome.
Testing overseas has shown the suits shave critical fractions of a second off race times. Wearing them can give cyclists a psychological boost.
Trials had proved very encouraging, said head track coach Tim Carswell.
"We trialled them out a couple of times," he said.
"At the Olympic Games everyone tries to pull out all stops to get every possible advantage."
Clothing sponsor Orca had "very late in the piece" contacted the cyclists to say they had a product the riders might want to look at.
They did look at it, and they loved it.
Orca and Champion Systems had also put together the breathable skin suit, Carswell said.
"So we'll pull that one out on race day, there'll be quite a few countries who'll (be envious)."
Unleashing new technology at an important meeting such as the Olympic Games gave riders a boost, Carswell said.
"We hadn't let the riders know we had this up our sleeves...when they saw them they were fizzing. I think we'll be pulling out a little bit of an advantage there."
The cutting edge suits were expensive, Carswell said.
"I've heard they're over $1000 each."
Shanks said she loved the new gear.
"They're great. You put them on and you're ready to race, they make you feel fast. I'm really looking forward to wearing it."
- NZPA
