Upstart American technology company Wahoo Fitness is in talks to persuade a top ranked UCI team to use its advanced iPhone-controlled indoor trainer.
Kevin Abt of Wahoo Fitness told BikeRadar that their direct drive turbo trainer, the KICKR, which measures power and can have its resistance controlled via the user's iPhone, is currently being tested by coaching staff for assessment at the undisclosed team.
Abt said: "We're making this pitch to this top team that we are the most advanced trainer out there that we're doing things that have never really been done before. There're certain teams who are a little more tech savvy who respond to this."
Abt said he was unsure when a final decision would be made, but hoped to have the project "wrapped up" in the next couple of months, ahead of the 2014 season.
"Right now the product's being evaluated at the coach and trainer level," he explained. "We've taken the approach that we want to win over the coaches and the riders then we quickly want to segway into a business conversation with them."
Currently, Elite and Tacx sponsor 18 of the 19 top-ranked road teams. Only Garmin-Sharp use different supplier – LeMond Fitness, which provides the team with its direct drive trainer, the Revolution.
The KICKR was launched in Europe in June this year. Wahoo Fitness recently launched an iPhone app that allows users to programme the KCKR to mimic any Strava segment from around the world.