SPEAKER: Time for any cyclist is crucial.
Obligations can become obstacles during critical training
periods.
This year, Mark Cavendish has balanced a rigorous training
schedule while developing and releasing his name Cavendish
collection.
MARK CAVENDISH: The Cavendish brand stands for everything
that I stand for a.
You look at the bikes.
You look at the helmet.
You look at the apparel and the attention
to detail to make me perform to perfection or the closest
perfection that I can, you know?
SPEAKER: The event marks the first time Specialized has ever
designed an entire rider-specific product line,
and moves Cavendish into an elite group of athletes
with their own signature brand of product.
MARK CAVENDISH: Every single bit I really
pushed to how I wanted it.
It's not just putting my name to it, really.
I had a part of the design process
and I'm so happy with the results.
We wanted the design of every item
to be explained through its performance, you know?
The speed, the feel, the performance of it,
to do all the talking for it.
So it was very understated.
SPEAKER: Cavendish has become one
of the most popular cyclists in the sport.
And with that comes managing those responsibilities
and the intense preparation for the year's most important race.
With the Tour de France drawing near,
team Astana has come to Ypres to study
one of the most critical sections of the upcoming race.
JAKOB FUGLSANG: We have to do the reconnaisation
of the fifth state of the tour.
We are going to check it out, see how it is.
SPEAKER: This year, the Tour de France
will contain nine sectors of cobbles, on the route
from Ypres to Arenberg.
The team is here to scout their routes
and test their equipment on the difficult terrain.
SPEAKER 2: It's not easy.
And also, none of us are specialists
in riding cobblestone.
So we stay good together and everybody
seems to get along quite OK with the cobbles.
SPEAKER: After starting the season as one of the favorites,
Vincenzo Nibali has yet to podium in 2014.
Still, the Italian rider has started slow in the past
and looks to focus on excellent results at the Tour de France.
VINCENZO NIBALI: [SPEAKING ITALIAN]
SPEAKER 2: It's going to be tough.
I think everybody knows that.
And it's going to be a harsh stage.
It's going to be 150 kilometers of fighting probably.
SPEAKER: For all cycling teams, the pressure
builds as they get closer to the Tour de France.
Teams look to fine-tune their approach
and exhaust every possible way to improve their program.
Mark Cavendish and Omega Pharma Quick-Step
have come to the specialized wind tunnel
to work on their lead out train and figure out
the best possible way to put Cavendish in position
to finish.
Nibali is also pushing for more improvements as well as he
becomes accustomed with his new rider
first engineered-- S-Works Tarmac.
VINCENZO NIBALI: [SPEAKING ITALIAN]
SPEAKER: Among the improvements to the new tarmac
are a comprehensive design that provides
more complete performance across all spectrums,
particularly descending and climbing.
SPEAKER 3: The stiffness is-- you can feel it.
It's much more in front so you can drive it better.
SPEAKER 4: The weight transfers better, more secure
and tighter.
You can feel the bike under your--
SPEAKER: For all the riders, the moment of truth is looming,
and soon they will know if all the training, the testing,
the equipment, the research, and the competition
will end in the sport's most coveted prize.