Leg warmers were a common sight in the Couleurs-Brussel-Couleurs on Sunday, when the temperature was just one degree above freezing. But on the Intermarché-Circus-Wanty bus, some legs looked a little different than others.

Taco van der Hoorn and some of his teammates wore leg warmers with aerodynamic strips.

Van der Hoorn, speaking to Cycling News at the team presentation, explained that it was a conscious choice.

"I suggested it to Nalini. While it is common for riders to take off their kit later in the race," he continued, "I'll keep it on for the duration of the race.

To a casual observer, that seems obvious. Leg warmers are used anyway in the spring classics, where the weather is often unfavorable, and being able to optimize leg warmers with the same technology used in aero socks seems like an easy win.

Van der Horn's leg warmers are not the first of their kind. British brand Russo also produces leg warmers, as do several aero kit specialists.

"We didn't have time to test them," explains the Dutch rider. As of this writing, he has been part of the Kuhne breakaway group for the second year in a row and will be part of a six-man lead group for the final 100 km.

Famous cycling brand Silca claims that its aero socks save 3 to 8 watts over regular socks, while aero specialist Rule 28 claims to save up to 12 watts. Leg warmers offer greater coverage, so even greater savings can be expected if the optimized material is used throughout the leg.

However, the use of leg warmers calls into question the UCI's rule on sock height. The rule states that "socks and overshoes used in competition shall not be higher than the height defined by half the distance between the middle of the lateral ankles and the middle of the fibular head."

This rule was introduced in 2019 when it became clear that optimized fabrics could run faster than bare skin, resulting in athletes using almost knee-length aero socks to save watts.

"You need to cover your legs anyway," was Van der Horn's answer, accompanied by a wry smile, when asked if he had considered this rule.

To the question, Van der Hoorn answered with a wry smile, "I don't think so.

It remains to be seen whether the aero leg warmers will be widely adopted by other teams, or whether Van der Hollen will start wearing them on race days when temperatures are higher.