Using Only Human Power, Nine Cyclists Tow a Plane into the Sky

Pulling 700 watts apiece, nine pro cyclists lift a 1-man glider high into the air.

Red Bull's newest experiment takes the enduring question of human power and answers it with a cheeky grin: what happens when you tether nine pro cyclists to an aircraft and ask them to make it fly?

In a world first for cycling and aviation, nine riders from Red Bull–BORA–Hansgrohe towed a glider into the air using nothing but their own legs. With a little teamwork, a funky looking tow line, and a lot of wattage, the team was eventually able to get the glider high into the air.

Engineering strategist Dan Bigham oversees the project like an air-traffic-controller-turned-mad-scientist, while pilot Andy Hediger straps into the glider at the mercy of the riders. The squad has to ride in perfect symmetry which, even for professional cyclists, proves to be a challenge.

Florian Lipowitz, Callum Thornley, Davide Donati, Nico Denz, Jordi Meeus, Tim Van Diyke, Laurence Pithie, Gijs Schoonvelde, and Adrien Boichis.

Early trials offer the usual Red Bull seasoning. Tow systems jam. Angles feel wrong. A couple of attempts get sketchy: mounts snap and tires puncture. Adjustments are made, and eventually the experiment moves to a much longer runway.

Then comes the real attempt.

All nine riders "lock in", turning the nerves into fuel as any veteran bike racer does. They accelerate as a single unit, watt meters revving. The group hits 54 kilometers per hour and averages 650 watts for a punishing 90-second effort. It’s a display of power you usually find on the final meters of Alp d'Huez, not on the runway of an airfield.

For the rest of the story, you'll just have to watch the video.