Alex Dowsett: No reason X-LAB can't be in the top echelon of WorldTour bikes
After almost 50 bike fits in three days at XDS Astana’s training camp, the performance engineer took time out for an exclusive interview
XDS Astana’s training camp was a series of firsts for Alex Dowsett.
The former pro rider turned performance engineer had never been to Calpe, Spain for an extended period of time, and his new role in team management was his first foray into full-time work inside a WorldTour squad.
Dowsett’s arrival at XDS Astana couldn't have been timed better with the team swapping out their association with Wilier Triestina and replacing the Italian company with the XDS’ own brand, Chinese-manufactured bike brand, X-LAB.
When we arrive at the team’s Spanish base, the hotel occupied by Dowsett and his crew has been turned from a tranquil off-season hotspot for retirees into a treasure trove for bike fans and tech aficionados.
The large conference room on the basement floor has been turned into what can only be described as a tech arsenal with decks of road and time trial bikes lined up in formation.
A team of analysts sit on their laptops discussing modifications as boxes of equipment are moved from one side of the storage area to the other. A large projection screen set up in front of a rigged bike displays Wout Poels’ personal bike measurements and profile details.
We ask Dowsett if we can take photos.