Opportunity for a 'bent

A recumbent wouldn't be any faster, be it faired or not when motor paced. It's benefit over a DF bike of reduced wind resistance is nullified. In fact running behind that truck a DF was probably an advantage as the airflow was moving forward so having a large frontal (rear) area was best.

Maybe not the faired bit, but the aerodynamics are that he's in very turbulent air without any obvious stagnation points. So not better DF or bent. But with a bent, you can apply more than your bodyweight, provided your legs are up to it.

Yes you kind of can on a DF, but it relies on bracing yourself against the handlebar and pulling up on it. It's not that efficient and has to work its way all through the body from the hands to the legs. The bent is more of a pure squat motion braced against your lower back, and therefore more efficient and reliably applied.

jdp298 wrote: Maybe not the faired bit, but the aerodynamics are that he's in very turbulent air without any obvious stagnation points.

I watched the programme again, it was definitely stated that he wasn't in turbulent air he was in air that was moving forwards i.e. being sucked along, ergo a large surface area is best to maximise that effect, just like a sail. A bent would not be able to catch that forward moving air.