The road machine here has a pair of standard drop handlebars, the same shape found on racing bikes since the early days of last century.

A top-class climber can get away with bars made from a lighter and weaker metal than the bunch sprinter, who develops frightening power at top speed.

Bar tape gets tatty after 150 miles action and the grip of racing gloves, so it is changed almost every day, for the benefit of riders and sponsors alike.

Time trial bikes use different shaped "tri-bars" allowing the rider to tuck into a narrow aerodynamic position.