Want to Heat Train like Pogačar? CORE Releases Sleeker, Smarter Thermal Sensor for Sweaty Performance Gains – Outside Magazine
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Want to join Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel in reaping the rewards of heat training? Then the new CORE sensor might be for you.The Swiss brand revealed its refined new body temperature sensor Friday.The CORE 2 is touted to be lighter, smarter, and more user-friendly than the OG unit that’s already optimizing and enhancing the WorldTour elite.“The next-gen CORE 2 sensor is 48 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than its predecessor, delivering unmatched comfort and performance,” promises the brand. “It’s sleeker, more intuitive, and ready to tackle the toughest training sessions and races.”Why the hype about heat training? And why splash 269.95 CHF (~$300 USD) on a CORE 2 sensor to optimize all that sweaty suffering?You only have to look to world-class riders, runners, and triathletes for the answer.Heat training is up there with high-carb fueling and topical cooling as a must-do marginal gain.Active (i.e., on-bike) heat training is being widely practiced throughout the WorldTour, including by high-profile proponents Pogačar and Evenepoel. UAE Team Emirates performance chief Jeroen Swart was lauding its potential only last month, and has put Pogačar on a regular routine of overheated indoor sessions.Frequent, controlled workouts under thermal stress don’t only enable an athlete to acclimate to the season’s hottest races. They also bring an easy blood boost.Heat training has been touted as “the poor man’s altitude” through the way it can elevate hemoglobin mass and enhance endurance efficiency.Is heat training and core temperature sensing the peloton’s ‘greatest untapped marginal gain’?How Pogačar, Evenepoel, and the rest of the bunch is diving into heat data to boost endurance, pace races, and dial in skinsuits: https://t.co/DHf2hh5uPd— Velo (@velovelovelo__) June 24, 2024CORE says it has tapped into its rich athlete roster to finesse its new sensor.Soudal Quick-Step, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, and Lidl-Trek are among the brand’s star-studded partnership stable. So too world-topper triathletes Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden.“CORE 2 is a direct response to the needs of the athletes who inspire us every day,” said brand VP and global chief Ross McGraw. “From the pro peloton to weekend warriors, athlete feedback helped us refine a product that raises the bar for thermal load monitoring.“We’re thrilled to launch a tool that balances precision, comfort, and sustainability,” McGraw said.Headline facts on the new sensor include better connectivity to head-units and smart watches, simpler attachment systems, and future-proof software.Here’s the full detail:The CORE 2 hits the market in late March 2025 and will be available via the brand’s website.The CORE 2 will be a niche nice-to-have. But it’s a luxury that could prove crucial for athletes aiming at mid-summer races or looking for the percentage points not available in their training program.© 2025 Outside Interactive, Inc
