This previous weekend the racing season correctly started in earnest. To not detract from the Tour Down Beneath or the early season racing in hotter climates just like the UAE Tour, however for many people the season solely begins after we see racers clattering over musky cobbles, and panicked Italian neo execs sporting each layer possible, unable to grasp that somebody would stage a motorcycle race in sideways hail.
After a practice journey, an extended drive, one other practice journey, and one other lengthy drive I arrived in Ghent, armed with a digicam, a press go and a curious disposition. If you wish to know all of the tech tendencies from opening weekend then I’ve already scribbled down my ideas on the place Classics tech is headed, and what we are able to be taught from it for the upcoming season.
Now, although, I’ll try to convey you a flavour of what the pit space for Omloop Het Niewsblad is like. The sign-on for the lads’s and ladies’s race takes place in an historical plane hanger. It is slightly gloomy, slightly dirty, the surfaces are tough and the ambiance is febrile; an ideal metaphor for the classics season if ever there was one.
Luckily, the tech was shiny, and the music wasn’t overly intrusive because the riders processed by means of the clamouring crowds to the stage.
Have you ever ever tried to park a automotive in a crowd and bought slightly flustered? When you’ve got then you’ll be able to admire the talent of the crew bus drivers, piloting the sponsor-clad, cell crew headquarters by means of a throng of individuals into more and more tight spots. Hats off!
First up I headed to the massive pink bus of EF Schooling-Straightforward Publish, principally as a result of it is probably the most eye-catching. The crew’s Cannondale SuperSix Evo bikes have an exquisite paint scheme as all the time.
The Momo handlebar was launched final yr together with a brand new, upper-tier Lab71 frameset. Whereas EF has been utilizing the mid-tier HiMod frameset (and continues to take action), riders are at the least now beginning to obtain the brand new cockpits.
Some riders nonetheless desire to run a separate bar and stem, normally to get an extended place. Whereas I did not measure it, this FSA stem appears to be like to be a 150mm, with the hoses extraordinarily neatly wrapped in warmth shrink under.
Whereas tremendous lengthy stems have kind of gone out of vogue, Jonas Rutsch is flying the flag nonetheless in an enormous approach. This FSA stem is 170mm, and not produced. I bought in contact with FSA just lately about this, and it seems the model has a field of previous 170mm stems reserved for professional use solely.
Because the crew is Muc-Off sponsored, it after all has to make use of pink valve caps. Extra related from a tech nerdery standpoint is that the crew was very a lot within the minority by opting to make use of the Vittoria Corsa Professional Management tyres, somewhat than the sooner, however much less puncture-resistant Corsa Professional.
The crew was additionally one in every of a pair that was utilizing an unreleased Prologo bar tape. The tape has a closely textured end, successfully lined in raised rubber spines, designed to work in tandem with some unreleased gloves, which I additionally bought an image of in a while.
I do not maintain advertising slogans in a lot regard normally, however that is one I can truly get behind.
The Van Rysel RCR Professional bikes of Decathlon-AG2R are nonetheless recent sufficient, each from a mannequin and a model perspective, within the professional peloton to be worthy of nearer inspection.
For my part, in the event you did not know this was a Van Rysel, you can fortunately go it off from a visible standpoint as a prime flight race bike from any of the extra premium manufacturers.
The built-in cockpit, produced by Deda, appears to be like to be well-shaped for ergonomics. The midsection of the bars earlier than they meet the stem seem like rounder, maybe a design consideration for purchasers who wish to mount issues extra simply to them.
A happy UCI commissaire, having completed inspecting the crew bikes for any hidden motors.
The crew was additionally utilizing the brand new model of the Look Kep Blade pedals.
Talking of Look, over on the Cofidis pit space the crew are nonetheless utilizing tubular Corima wheels. In a sea of matte black ubiquity, I do like to see a shiny carbon weave.
On the Lidl-Trek pit space, most riders had been utilizing the built-in cockpit possibility, however one rider nonetheless opted for a separate possibility. Given the very deep drop of the bars, I believe that is extra to permit him to make use of the bar form of his selection, somewhat than any issues about sturdiness over the cobbles.
Autograph hunters typically convey unusual issues to signal, however this girl definitely one-upped all comers by lugging round {a partially} constructed crew bike. Full disclosure, I don’t know if she’s a part of the crew, however nonetheless, it is definitely an uncommon factor to be carting across the begin of a race.
Toms Skujiņš, coming back from signal on, dodges the crowds at pace.
As we have realized from chatting with the Soudal-Fast Step crew, Alaphilippe, like the remainder of the riders, is utilizing latex tubes and cotton tyres. Often, the crew runs 26mm, however they go wider for the cobbles.
Staff mechanics are likely to fall into three classes when confronted with requests for bike pictures. The primary are a surly bunch who view any try from non-staff to even have a look at a crew bike with suspicion. The second are useful, however like to stay vigilant and hover close by. The ultimate cohort are uncommon, and can merely allow you to take the crew bike away your self. This chap from UAE Staff Emirates I really feel would match the ultimate class, however pressed for time with riders exiting the bus to embark to the beginning may solely steadiness Nils Politt’s machine deftly together with his center finger.
Could not have carried out it with out you… Pollit is a rangy rider, with one of many extra excessive positions within the peloton. Word how far backward his saddle is slammed.
Now, I did not take a protractor with me, however I am fairly positive Tim Wellens’ levers aren’t UCI-compliant anymore. Regardless, it did not seem like a rule the commissaires had been focused on imposing on the day; I did not spot any jigs getting used.
Any guesses as to the content material of Wellens “XX” bottle? Solutions on a postcard.
Over at Ineos, the one actual change in setup was within the tyre division. Right here Tom Pidcock is operating 30c Continental GP500 S TR tyres.
The brand new paint of the DSM-Firmenich squad is an actual fan favorite, and drew a crowd.
As with many of the Vittoria sponsored groups, the Corsa Professional was the tyre of selection
At Lotto-Dstny some spherical bars had been additionally evident. Somebody wants to stay that ending tape down although…
Over at Bahrain Victorious, Matej Mohorič shares a joke with 5x Serbian street race champion Dušan Rajović.
The gloves to match the brand new Prologo bar tape. Apparently, Mohoric has been utilizing these since Roubaix final yr and may be very a lot a fan. From what I can collect the raised spines on the glove and tape are designed to mesh collectively to extend grip, and due to this fact lower the power wanted by the rider to grip the bars.
British champions hardly ever get a motorcycle fairly so distinctive as Fred Wright.
There may be completely no mistaking this for some other bike. God save the King, beans on toast, apples and pears and so on. advert. infinitum.
Whereas the enormous Union Jack catches the attention most, it is the little particulars that make the bike significant. The date and site of his nationwide championship win is tucked away above the underside bracket.
A Prologo Nago R4 137 saddle – Not a mannequin that exists at present within the Prologo vary.
Whereas he did not make waves on the pointy finish of the race, Belgian famous person sprinter Jasper Philipsen’s bike is definitely eye-catching in comparison with the (admittedly additionally lovey) iridescent purple of his teammate’s machines.
Regardless of the roughness of the cobbles, Philipsen opts to make use of the 13g, 3D printed plastic Canyon pc mount
Sadly following the beginning of the lads’s race the crowds dissipated, although not completely. It did imply nevertheless there was a bit extra respiratory house to search for something noteworthy within the ladies’s peloton.
Clearly, given the groups dominance and roster, SD-Worx was the primary port of name. This is the bike of world champion Lotte Kopecky, which I used to be completely not allowed to maneuver.
Classics might be received on positive margins, and some small layers {of electrical} tape preserve Kopecky’s pc rattle free in its mount.
Solely Kopecky will get an oil-slick, rainbow SRAM Purple cassette.
Her hoods are turned in, however to not an excessive quantity. In distinction, her teammate Demi Vollering’s hoods had been arrow-straight.
The native crowd had been eager to get an autograph, a photograph, or only a glimpse of their world champion.
In distinction to the male riders, the ladies gave the impression to be slightly extra self-sufficient in terms of race notes. A lot of the males had theirs utilized by mechanics, preferring to shelter within the crew busses till the final attainable second. Right here, although, Vollering, undoubtedly one of many largest names within the sport, applies her personal handwritten notes to her stem.
If anybody can decipher Vollering’s notes I would be most grateful.
Regardless of a principally dry forecast, Christine Majerus was the one rider I noticed the entire weekend opting so as to add just a few grams for the sake of a dryer rear finish.
Being meticulous is what makes an awesome WorldTour mechanic. Following sign-on, the place the riders have ridden over the ground of an previous, debris-strewn plane hanger, the mechanics wipe the tyres to clear them of something sharp that might trigger a puncture in a while.
Curiously this Argon18 TT bike was leant up in opposition to the aspect of the Proximus-Cyclis crew bus. The crew is Ridley-sponsored, nevertheless it may simply be destined for a employees member.
Canyon-Sram all the time knocks it out of the park in terms of paint. Just one rider, Tiffany Cromwell if reminiscence serves me accurately, was opting to make use of the much more jazzy Final.
The remainder of the squad opted for the extra aero, and barely extra plain Canyon Aeroad.
On the Uno-X bus, a stack of autograph playing cards lies in wait subsequent to a particularly well-cleaned bus wheel.
These bars had been possible the narrowest I noticed all weekend, much more so if you issue within the inward tilt of the levers.
The UAE Staff ADQ bar tape is a agency favorite of mine, although I think about it is an absolute ache to wrap it as neatly as this.
On the end, final yr’s winner Dylan van Baarle chats to (I assume) his dad and mom.
Oliver Naesen’s shoe cowl sport was top-notch, too.
Is there something we have missed? Tell us within the feedback under, and keep tuned to Cyclingnews for all of the race outcomes, information and options from our crew on the bottom all through the classics season.
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