Mechelen, Belgium - On Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November, Bioracer was present at Sports NEXT, a sports innovation expo organised as part of the FTI Festival, bringing together sports and innovation. Bioracer showcased its testing equipment alongside some of our most innovative apparel. Beyond our expo stand, we joined a panel discussion exploring the question: Can your outfit make you faster?
The future of sport
The first edition of Sports NEXT brought together the world of sport and innovation in an interactive sports expo. The event explored questions that don't have straightforward answers yet. How can technology push the boundaries of athletic performance? Can innovative sportswear help athletes break records? These questions took centre stage across more than 60 talks. Over 4,000 visitors could discover interactive activities, while more than 150 athletes and sports experts shared their insights into the future of sport.
Interaction was at the heart of Sports NEXT. Visitors stopped by our stand to explore Bioracer's testing equipment, learn more about the innovations behind our apparel and share their passion for cycling. These conversations gave us the perfect opportunity to show how our passion for innovation drives everything we do, and how continuous testing and development help us create apparel that makes a difference on the bike.
Can your outfit make you faster?
The programme of Sports NEXT hosted more than 50 talks over two days. Bioracer was present as an exhibitor and also took part in the event programme as one of the speakers during the talk “Can Your Outfit Make You Faster?” on Sunday. The session explored how innovative sportswear and aerodynamics can help athletes improve their performance. It also highlighted how technical fabrics and targeted compression can make a difference.
The panel discussion was moderated by Ine Beyen, a familiar face in the cycling world and well known for her work with Sporza. She was joined by our Marketing Manager, Tom Knevels, alongside Manu Liebaert (RVE Compression), Davide Petrella (KU Leuven) and Alexandra De Raeve (Head of Research Center FITLab+ at HOGENT).
Throughout the discussion, the panel explored how technology is changing the way sportswear is developed and how even the smallest improvements can make a difference at the highest level. From reducing air resistance to managing body temperature during intense efforts, the conversation highlighted the importance of research and testing in developing performance apparel.
For Tom Knevels, the next major opportunity lies in making that technology even more personal:
“Bioracer has made major advances in developing aerodynamic fabrics that improve performance, while also enhancing temperature regulation and comfort in all conditions. I believe the next breakthrough lies in personalization. Using technologies like 3D scanning and AI, we can tailor sportswear more precisely to each athlete. The future isn't just about better fabrics, but a smarter fit.”
Tom Knevels – Marketing Manager, Bioracer
We are The Most Tested, because testing is at the heart of everything we do. From the first prototypes in our ProtoLab to aerodynamic testing in the wind tunnel and real-world feedback from professional cyclists, every detail is continuously challenged and refined.
At the Bioracer stand, visitors could see how apparel is made before it reaches the box. The team brought a selection of its test tools to Mechelen. Each tool answers a different question about the same outfit.
Developed by Bioracer founder Raymond Vanstraelen in 1986, the Blue Shoe was designed to improve power transfer while cycling. With built-in arch support and an innovative asymmetrical heel construction, it helped stabilize the foot and reduce energy loss with every pedal stroke.
Our personalized Sidas insoles are molded to each rider's feet in their cycling position, providing improved stability and helping maximize power transfer. The result is a more balanced and efficient pedal stroke.
Even the fastest fabrics need the perfect fit to perform at their best. By adjusting the stretch, sleeve length and leg length to each rider's body in their cycling position, we create a personalized fit that optimizes aerodynamics and helps maximize performance.
The Snagging Test evaluates the durability of our fabrics by exposing them to repeated mechanical stress for 10 minutes. Afterwards, each fabric receives a score from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating the highest resistance to snagging and pulled threads.
Developed by Bioracer founder Raymond Vanstraelen in 1986, the Blue Shoe was designed to improve power transfer while cycling. With built-in arch support and an innovative asymmetrical heel construction, it helped stabilize the foot and reduce energy loss with every pedal stroke.
Our personalized Sidas insoles are molded to each rider's feet in their cycling position, providing improved stability and helping maximize power transfer. The result is a more balanced and efficient pedal stroke.
Even the fastest fabrics need the perfect fit to perform at their best. By adjusting the stretch, sleeve length and leg length to each rider's body in their cycling position, we create a personalized fit that optimizes aerodynamics and helps maximize performance.
The Snagging Test evaluates the durability of our fabrics by exposing them to repeated mechanical stress for 10 minutes. Afterwards, each fabric receives a score from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating the highest resistance to snagging and pulled threads.
While not all our testing equipment was present at Sports NEXT, there's much more happening behind the scenes at Bioracer. We continuously test our apparel for performance and durability, both in controlled environments and under real racing conditions.
Pad Tester
To ensure the best comfort of the most important asset of your cycling kit, we’ve engineered a tool that simulates 1000 of km’s to test the durability of our cycling pads.
Stretch Tester
This self-engineered test tool helps us to simulate the stretch of each fabric even after hundreds of times of usage to ensure the best possible fit for our apparel.
Pressure Mapping
Identifying the exact pressure points, we cant test our pads head-to-head in terms of pressure absorption and pressure distribution to identify the best type of pad for each type of rider and circumstance.
Climate Chamber
With the help of a climate chamber and a heat camera, we’re able to simulate hot race conditions and adjust the cooling impact of our apparel to keep the core temperature of our athletes stable.
Innovative apparel
Alongside our testing equipment, visitors could discover some of our most innovative cycling apparel. Our Speedwear collection showcased how aerodynamics and cooling technology can make a difference in competition. From the Speedwear Time Trial Suit, designed to save precious seconds against the clock, to the Speedwear Road Race Suit, developed for aerodynamic performance without compromising race comfort.
The Speedwear Cooling Jersey demonstrated how innovative Polartec Delta fabric uses moisture to help regulate body temperature during intense efforts. We also presented our Graphene Jersey, which uses airflow to dissipate body heat.
Our newest drops
For indoor cycling, our CAVE Cooling Jersey demonstrated how Polartec® Delta™ fabric uses sweat to actively cool the body during intense training sessions without natural airflow.
For cyclists riding after dark, our NiGHTvision collection, featuring the Wind Gilet and Tempest Light Jacket, showcased how reflective technology improves visibility on dark roads. Both pieces combine strategically placed reflective details with protection against the elements.
Together, these products showed how we develop innovative cycling apparel for the specific demands of every ride, turning continuous testing into real-world performance.
From Paris to Mechelen
One of the highlights at our stand was the Belgian Cycling race suit worn at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, featuring a special design created for the occasion. Having competed on one of the world's biggest sporting stages, this Olympic kit was now displayed at Sports NEXT.
Our partnership with Belgian Cycling dates back to 1994. Throughout this long-standing collaboration, Paris 2024 stands out as a particularly special chapter, and we're already looking ahead to the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.
Paris Olympics 2024
Driven by a shared passion
Above all, it was great to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new people. Sports NEXT gave us the opportunity to share stories and talk about what drives us most: our shared passion for cycling.