AFTER teasing his fans with a glimpse on Tuesday, Azizulhasni Awang yesterday unveiled the WX-R Vorteq bike that he will ride at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Pocket Rocketman uploaded a short video of the bike, which teammate Shah Firdaus Sahrom will also use in Japan, on social media.
Aesthetically, the bike does not look much different from the solid black machine he has been using since last year.
It is still black, but now features splashes of silver across the frame.
From a technical standpoint, the former world champion said the changes have been minimal.
"The frame (geometry) is the same but on this final version it is slightly more stiff, " said Azizulhasni.
"Compared to the version I use in training, it is also slightly lighter because we have removed the power meter and other accessories which are used to record data which we won't need during the race.
"It makes the bike a little smoother, it's not a lot but it can still make a huge difference during the race."
The bike, which is priced at roughly RM300,000, was developed at a cost of over RM13 million over three years (2018-2020) with technology derived from Formula One racing.
This is the first time the national squad have a track bike specifically built for them.
First launched early last year, it already boasts an impressive track record which includes two Asian records set by Azizulhasni (individual sprint) and Fadhil Zonis (1km time trial) at the Berlin World Championships last year as well as two bronze from the same meet by Azizulhasni.
Azizulhasni and Shah are, however, not the only riders that will be armed with the latest in bike technology as other major cycling powers have also been sharpening their track weaponry.
Great Britain, Germany, France and the Netherlands are among those that have launched new track bikes ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.