Dispelling cheating myths – Triathlete

Draftsmen, beware: RaceRangeranti-drafting technology previously limited to professional triathletes, is set to make its first full age group rollout at the Tauranga Half and Challenge Wanaka in 2027. This marks RaceRanger’s first move to move out of professional racing only, with every age group of triathletes being equipped with a draft detection system for the January and February 2027 races.

The system has already been used in more than 100 professional events Since 2023including the Ironman Pro Series, T100 World Tour, and Tested in 2025 with a selected sample of age groups In Wanaka Challenge.

Although its initial use was to enforce project areas, more features have been added over the years; Now, RaceRanger is equipped with technology that enables supporters to track their athlete’s real-time location on the bike course. It has also proven to be an important safety dimension for race organizers, allowing them to locate athletes in need during medical emergencies.

But its primary focus remains ensuring a fair race, and of course, there are people looking to cheat the system. RaceRanger’s expansion into the age group ranks has ignited a “rumor mill” among online athletes looking for ways to evade the detection system. Speculation focuses on high-tech methods such as “stealth paint” and strategic positioning of the bike to stay outside the measured drag zone.

However, James Elfrey, CEO and co-founder of RaceRanger, is straightforward Triathlete This week that “there is no escape from the watchful eyes of technology, and any attempt to game the system will result in disqualification and a severe ban for unsporting behaviour.”

Why is “radar-evading paint” useless on the RaceRanger

Radar absorbent material (RAM) coatings.commonly referred to as radar-avoiding coatings, are materials designed to reduce the radar signature of an object—usually in weapons defense. By using magnetic oxides or iron-based particles in paints or adhesive coatings, these specialized treatments absorb radar waves and dissipate the energy as heat.

In military applications, this allows boats and aircraft to operate in stealth mode. In civilian life, some use these substances as aftermarket treatments on vehicles to evade police radars enforcing speed limits, despite legal issues and a lack of evidence of their effectiveness (Just ask Mythbusters).

Could the same principle apply to triathlon bikes? No, RaceRanger says. For one simple reason: rumors of using “stealth paint” or special carbon finishes to avoid detection are unfounded, as the RaceRanger is not a radar system that detects objects using radar.

“The material your bike is made of doesn’t make a difference,” says Elfrey. Instead, the rear devices on an athlete’s bike are designed to specifically listen for messages from the front devices of the athlete(s) behind them. Since the system relies on device-to-device communication rather than reflective materials, painting your bike won’t give you invisibility — but it will certainly add weight and expense.

Why strategic positioning fails against RaceRanger

Another popular theory involves riding in what some athletes call a “buffer zone” to gain an aerodynamic advantage without a penalty. The suggestion is that riding sideways, out of range of the RaceRanger in front of them, will avoid the system while remaining in the front passenger’s intake zone.

The system is designed to overcome this by measuring backwards from the arc-shaped back device, Elvery explains. While he acknowledges that, in theory, two athletes could sit side by side at a distance of 20 meters on a very wide road and not be classified as drafting, they would also not get any benefit from that distance. In practice, the system’s detection arc reaches the sides of the road long before the athlete can sit out of range and gain an advantage.

The message is clear: there is no escape from the system. (Sorry, drafters.)

How will RaceRanger go about revealing the draft age group?

Continuing the protocol established for professional events in early 2025, athletes will be responsible for installing their own RaceRanger devices on their bikes, just as they install their race numbers. Each athlete will receive a padded envelope in their registration package containing a pair of devices, as well as a QR code to access written and video guides for correct installation. RaceRanger staff will also be on hand at the race village in the days leading up to the event to assist athletes.

As athletes prepare their bikes in preparation for the race, a final technical inspection will be performed to ensure each machine is equipped and operating properly. After the cycling portion of the race is complete, staff will retrieve units from the bikes while athletes head out for a run.

Elvery says the introduction of the RaceRanger could mean that future age group fields will be organized into categories: a competitive group, using two devices for active policing and live remote monitoring by race officials, and a participation group, equipped with a rear unit only.

In this tiered system, the taillights of the participating group will remain inactive unless they are positioned directly in front of a competitive athlete following them. Regardless of their category, all participants will benefit from the system’s security features and live tracking capabilities. However, for the first two events, the process will remain standardized for all participants to ensure simplicity.

Will RaceRanger anti-graft devices be used in Ironman?

The challenge has long been a leader in anti-framing initiatives, e.g They were the first to introduce a 20 meter draft zone for the age groupthe first to use the RaceRanger in professional racing, and the first to test (and now, implement) the devices in age group racing. Considering that Iron Man followed him Suit on 20 meter project areas And RaceRanger in its Pro Series, it’s possible we’ll see it adopted for age group racing, although that wasn’t part of today’s announcement.

“There is strong demand on the draft detection side of the system, especially from the competitive side of the field,” Elfieri says.

“Live tracking is something everyone can appreciate, but it hasn’t been widely available in triathlon yet. In everything we do, we’re very focused on elevating the athletes’ racing experience and are in talks with a number of other events and series globally about how we can bring the whole RaceRanger to the sport as soon as possible.”