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Enzo Fuentes (in white) of Pro Cycling Team says getting onto a professional cycling set-up solved two of his issues: breathing correctly when cycling, and disturbed sleep. (Express Photos by Pavan Khengre)
Riders at the Pune Grand Tour have a face-care routine though it’s not powdering of their noses. Right before they step out of their tents, riders get busy with slathering or spraying sunscreen on their arms. And looking into their mobile phone mirrors to locate the exact spot on the nose bridge to tape on a ‘nasal strip’.
Nasal strips have leapt on to other sports, but their predominance amongst road cyclists is pretty high. Enzo Fuentes of Pro Cycling Team says getting onto a professional cycling set-up solved two of his issues: breathing correctly when cycling, and disturbed sleep. His teammates from Andorra joke that he sought out the strips because they informed him he snored. But the rider says it’s essentially to clear nasal pathways and regulate breathing.
“I started using them two years ago after joining the Pro Cycling team. It’s also to ensure I’m breathing right when I sleep,” he says.
A bunch of Spanish, French, Dutch and Belgian teams here travel with a box of nasal strips, which are stuck on the mid-bridge of the nose. They are known to ease nasal muscles and ease breathing.
Malaysian teams too pass around the stick-ons that look like blackhead removal strips, and are an integral part of a cyclists’ gear – as important as helmets or sunglasses.
A bunch of Spanish, French, Dutch and Belgian teams here travel with a box of nasal strips, which are stuck on the mid-bridge of the nose. They are known to ease nasal muscles and ease breathing. (Express Photos by Pavan Khengre)
While the black strips look like warpaint, top teams like Burgos have moved onto the translucent or skin-coloured strips that are barely visible.
A tiny strip, a physio explains, has springy edges that pull the upper curves of the nostrils wide apart gently, and help reduce resistance, easing airflow. Placing the strips accurately is crucial, and part of the cycling finery.
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The safety pin superstition
Riders on the Pro Tour for years swear by the meditative practice of attaching the bibs to their back jersey pockets meticulously with safety pins. “Early in my racing career, I once had the paper bibs flapping away like crazy at the start, and I looked really ridiculous,” recalls Team Roojai’s Australian rider Dylan Hopkins. “It affects riding of course in winds, but I decided I’d never look stupid again. From then onwards, I make it a point to sit calmly each race morning and pin the bibs properly. It’s almost a superstition that shabby bibs will lead to a bad race,” he says.
“Three pins to secure the top. Three on the side. All sides. And life feels alright,” he says dramatically.
Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More
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