Tour de France elite fine‑tune performance inside Silverstone Park’s Sports Engineering Hub

Elite cycling teams and Olympic federations from across the world are increasingly turning to the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub (SSEH) at Silverstone Park as they prepare for both the Tour de France in early July and the Los Angeles 2028 Games.

The Hub’s international reputation is driven by its blend of motorsport‑grade engineering and specialist sports engineering – led by Technical Manager Shaun Whitehead, who spent 25 years in Formula 1 with Red Bull Racing and Williams.

Shaun believes the competitive mindset in elite cycling mirrors that of F1.

“The principles are exactly the same,” he explained.

“It’s a relentless hunt for incremental gains. In F1 you chase thousandths of a second – in cycling, those margins decide Tour stages and Olympic medals.”

SSEH’s global pull is strengthened further by its founder Rob Lewis, whose Catesby Projects business also operates the renowned Catesby Tunnel. Federations and riders use the tunnel to validate the mechanical and aerodynamic data gathered at SSEH, creating a complete performance loop that few facilities worldwide can match.

A major draw inside the Hub is its unique pedalling‑efficiency rig, developed by Rob and his engineers.

The system measures a rider’s mechanical input against rear‑wheel output on a drum that can replicate asphalt, the cobbles of Paris‑Roubaix and velodrome wood. Teams use it to test tyre compounds, pressures and frame behaviour under different conditions.

“Those tiny differences in power loss really matter,” added Shaun. “That’s why federations bring their own performance engineers here – they want the data.”

The Hub’s six specialist facilities also support aerodynamic testing, including race suit fabric development with ‘in-house’ company Vorteq, and frame‑specific optimisation for climbers, sprinters and endurance riders.

“No two athletes are alike,” continued Shaun. “You can make a rider incredibly aerodynamic, but if the position means they can’t sustain power, it’s pointless.”

With national squads already deep into LA 2028 planning across men’s, women’s and Paralympic categories, SSEH continues to cement its status as the place for the world’s best to come to find their competitive edge.

Images courtesy of:
SSHE testing rig: CMC Media Ltd
Tour de France: Tour de France