“In cycling, the unacceptable is accepted”: Van Rysel aiming to bring airbag skinsuit to WorldTour in 2027 – but tech firm behind innovation admits “some crazy riders” won’t use it

Van Rysel, Decathlon’s cycling brand, and safety tech specialists In&motion have announced their intention to bring a fully integrated airbag skinsuit to the WorldTour by 2027. The prototype, designed to deploy upon impact, aims to mitigate injury severity in crashes. While hailed as the "future of cycling," In&motion concedes that some "crazy riders" may initially resist adopting the technology, despite its potential safety benefits.

This initiative arrives amidst growing calls for enhanced rider safety, particularly following high-profile crashes and the UCI's recent, often controversial, interventions regarding equipment and race routes. The integration of airbag technology, already prevalent in motorsports, represents a significant leap from current protective measures like helmets. The challenge lies in balancing protection with aerodynamic performance and rider comfort, especially for a peloton notoriously resistant to perceived disadvantages.

Ultimately, the success of Van Rysel's airbag skinsuit will hinge not just on its engineering, but on convincing a peloton that values marginal gains above all else to embrace a technology that adds weight and bulk, even if it saves bones.