Opening Weekend has arrived, and the Spring Classics are finally upon us as one of the most exciting periods of racing on the professional cycling calendar kicks off.
Racing this year has happened under cloudless skies or on dry Spanish roads, but there’s something about heading back to Northern Europe for the start of the Spring Classics, which surely stirs the soul of even the most stoic cycling fans.
This year, I’ve created one big gallery from both of the Opening Weekend races, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, which takes place first on Saturday, and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, which takes place the following day. This year, grey skies and light rain made it truly feel like Classics weather for Omloop, and it brightened up a touch for Kuurne.
I toured the pits on both days, looking for new and interesting tech. Mens Omloop winner Mathieu van der Poel was riding at the very least an updated Canyon Aeroad, most teams were running 30mm tyres, and some were actually sealing their tyre sidewalls, which I haven’t seen before. Meanwhile, Cofidis had some very interesting looking 3D-printed derailleur hangers for their Campagnolo Super Record equipment.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
We start at Omloop, in the vast hangar on the side of the velodrome in Ghent. This is Arnauld De Lie’s Orbea Orca Aero; he may have drawn the short straw here; my hunch is that he started with this camera and removed it as he progressed into the race. No pro would want this on their bars.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Lotto–Intermarché are very keen on stem-mounted fuelling notes. I didn’t see many other teams with nutrition plans like this. Fuelling is clearly important to the team during the races.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The aero Orbea Orca has a deep, aggressive head tube, spot the healthy spacer stack for a pro bike, this is a key theme from Opening Weekend.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The team also had some neat aero 3d printed computer mounts this year. More teams are doing this now; last year, it mainly seemed to be UAE.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Here’s a close-up of the nutrition plan, that is a healthy amount of carbs. Try it on your next five-hour ride.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Get yourself over the Bosberg, and the finish isn’t far away.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Separate bars and stems used to be very rare; I saw quite a few this year. This feels like a rider still finding their position to me.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
And then there was this monster belonging to Mathias Norsgaard, it’s not pretty, but it seems to work for him.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Here are the unreleased Bontrager wheels the team has been using. I took a good look at the hubs. The rim of this one looks like it’s had a good ding to me.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Here are the silver hubs with ‘RSL’ on them, which stands for Race Shop Limited in Bontrager / Trek speak. This could well be a new addition to the Aeolus wheel range.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The wheels have carbon spokes, and I spotted the Vonoa brand name, a Chinese brand whose spokes can be found on several brands’ wheels.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Lidl-Trek signed a deal with Gatorade at the start of the year. The Madone is more aero with these bottles fitted, spot the ’30’ written on the rear, which I assume is the carbohydrate amount in the drink mix.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Lidl-Trek use these aftermarket disc lockrings to save weight.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Another 3D-printed computer mount, this time from Dutch company Leap components.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Lidl-Trek kicked off the SRAM 1X13 Red XPLR use this time last year, and now a lot of teams seem to have followed suit. They had fitted K-Edge chain catchers for extra security, which SRAM recommends.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Rose Rockets switched to SRAM groupsets from Shimano over the winter; they had a mix of double and 1X chainsets, but I think the riders’ race bikes all had SRAM Red XPLR fitted.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Here’s a 1X Red chainset; the team developed a custom Wolf Tooth chain catcher to go with its Rose frames.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
This rider stopped to sign some autographs for some young fans. There were a lot of young cycling fans at Kuurne Brussel Kuurne in particular. The sport is alive and well in Belgium.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Here’s the bike that everyone was talking about or trying to spot at the beginning of the year. The new SuperSix Evo, these new Cannondale bars were designed specifically for the bike.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The Gen 5 SuperSix is slightly lighter and faster than the old one, though nearly every frame tube shape has been updated and changed.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
I liked this custom EF race number holder, and several teams had cool custom ones.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The Van Rysel RCR-F machines look super agressive in the flesh, there’s loads of deep, wide tube profiles, and that includes the Deda handlebars.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
It was dim in places in the Omloop hanger; the lights of the team cars illuminated certain bikes depending on where they were. Note the thru axle lever here to help with faster wheel changes in the event of a flat.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Here’s the brand new 3D printed Fizik Arione, which launched just a few days before Opening Weekend. The Arione name has been around for a very long time now.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
This is a lot of spacers, even for a pro. This is one of the Flanders-Baloise Eddy Merckx badged bikes, which are actually Ridley Falcon RS models; Ridley owns the Merckx name these days.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The team was using 32mm Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres and inner tubes. I’ve got a lot of time for this setup.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Here’s one of the as-yet-unreleased 32mm Specialized Turbo Cotton tyres. This size of Cotton isn’t currently available on the brand’s website. There was some interesting stuff going on with Bora’s tyres.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Several of the tyres had a clear, silicone-like coating on the sidewalls that overlapped slightly with the tread. One of the mechanics I asked told me it was for protection.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Bora also had SRAM 1X chainsets with K-Edge chain catchers fitted.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Here’s that sidewall sealant again; it was definitely on several pairs, and I can’t say I’ve seen it on many pro road bikes before. Perhaps it’s something to do with the unreleased nature of those 32mm tyres.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The team appeared to be back on 30mm tyres for Kuurne, which has slightly less testing cobbled surfaces.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Bora had a bike or two with a separate handlebar and stem. I wonder if teams are simply waiting on custom integrated bars, or riders are starting to revert back to them to achieve a better position.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
And here’s the Roval Rapide integrated handlebar; there was a mix on show.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Nils Pollit’s bike is huge. I couldn’t stop looking at it. He was running a high seatpost height on his Colngo Y1RS.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Carbon-Ti direct mount rear derailleur hanger on the UAE bikes. Spot the neat Di2 wiring.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Team UAE were also the only team riding on the Continental Archetype tyres, supposedly developed with the team. No one else had them fitted.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
This Y1RS had some extra padding at the bar hood area, I think it’s so the rider can hunker down and hold an aero position more easily. This bike belonged to Rune Herregodts.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
New Wilier Filante SLR machines for Groupama FDJ, the team told me they are still waiting to receive the new Miche wheels, which were recently launched.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The team was also the only squad on the 30mm brown sidewall colourway Continental GP5000 S TR tyres. They told me this was the only option when I asked, but a check on the Conti site shows both black and dark brown versions available, strange.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Simple stem notes from Picnic PostNL, sometimes this is all you need, especially when you’re going hard for five hours.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
For Omloop, a lot of teams were using the Zipp 303 SW wheels with the Bluetooth AXS tyre pressure sensor. Pro teams haven’t used these wheels much, but a lot had them on for Omloop. The whole Movistar squad were riding them, for example, over the deeper 454 option.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Bar-mounted dropper post lever for the Shimano neutral service bikes, which allows any rider to adjust seatpost height to suit.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Shimano neutral support has everything needed to help riders who can’t get a bike. The famous Shimano blue stands out a mile away. This was at the start of Kuurne.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Picnic PostNL were on Ursus Proximo wheels and 30mm Michelin Power Cup tyres, not the latest Arya wheelset from Ursus.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The Lapierre bikes reportedly have special light paint jobs to drop some weight.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
This is Timo Roosen’s bike, a very intimidating setup. This is the Prologo T GALE TT saddle.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
I spotted Alpecin Premier Tech riding an updated Canyon Aeroad frame this weekend. This is the regular Aeroad; note the smooth drive side dropout.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
And this is the updated frame that has been made SRAM UDH ready. Canyon told me this isn’t a new Aeroad, just a small update.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
This is Mathieu van der Poel’s race bike, pre start the team arrived last, and it was tough to get near the bikes. Van der Poel was riding prototype Shimano wheels, which we look at next.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The wheel hubs are stamped ‘Prototype’, the wheels have carbon spokes, and given the pro rider use, I assume this is how the next generation Dura-Ace wheels may well look.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
I also found a Shimano product code that doesn’t currently exist. Current Dura-Ace wheels are listed as WH-R9270; this WH-R9370 code could well be for the new Dura-Ace.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The Total Energies Cube Litening bikes really pop this year, but the colour scheme is dangerously close to rainbow stripes territory.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
They look aggressive and fast, and do stand out from the rest of the bikes in the peloton, which is what it’s all about.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The bikes had a mix of chainrings; some had these aftermarket Carbon-Ti chainrings, which are popular right now.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Some had these non-series 44-56 tooth Dura Ace chainrings.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
There was a mix of stems on show again at Jayco-AIUla, bikes had separate bars and stems and integrated setups fitted.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The Cofidis look bikes had unusual looking 3D-printed rear mech hangers fitted that one could tell me much about, my guess is they are quite stiff and aid shifting.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
It’s nice bling, that goes well with the exotic Campagnolo Super Record equipment.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Cofidis are the only team on Campagnolo, using the brand’s wheels and groupsets. A fan asked me if any bikes had Campagnolo this year. Note the tall spacer stack again.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
I spotted what looked like more sidewall sealant on these Visma Vittoria wheels. This wasn’t bubbling away, and looked like some sort of sealing product to me.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Cervelo updated the S5 and it’s handlebar last year, which makes for a very aggressive-looking front end.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
This isn’t a saddle bag but a Velon data tracking unit; all the Visma race bikes had them fitted today.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The Cervelo S5 uses a bayonet-style fork and is widely regarded as one of the very fastest race bikes in the bunch.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
This Cervelo Soloist stuck out and looked almost dated against the S5 bikes; this was Visma development team rider Matisse Van Kerckhove ‘s bike, who was riding up today.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The Ineos Pinarello Dogma’s have a new paint job, but looked largely the same as ever, bar the upgraded Scope Artech wheels.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Ben Swift uses the rarely seen Shimano axle extenders for a wider stance. Swift sadly crashed out of Omloop.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Ineos mount their race transponders to the bottom Dogma fork leg, most teams fit them mid fork leg and cover them with a section of cut inner tube.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
The Uno-X Ridleys look as fast as ever; the team switched from Shimano to SRAM equipment in the winter.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
They were also the only team using the Continental Aero 111 tyres; they must have believed them to be the fastest option, and there was a lot of wind at Omloop.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The team also had some neat 3D-printed computer mounts.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
As well as setpost-mounted number holders.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
I’ll say it, these might just be the best-looking bikes in the peloton, that blue and gold works very well for Pinarello Q36.5
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
This is Tom Pidcock’s bike, who didn’t have quite the day he wanted at Omloop.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
Pidcock ran 30mm tyres and 165mm cranks; he also experimented with his bar setup this winter after experiencing wrist pain at times.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Blue and gold, it just works.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The Wolfpack were hunting this weekend. It didn’t quite work out, but their S-Works Tarmac SL8 bikes always look good.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
This mechanic was using a Makita pump to inflate the teams Specialized Turbo Cotton tyres.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
This was a spare bike, but I spotted more sealant bubble or sidewall sealer; it was tricky to tell.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The Tudor bikes always look smart, very neat bar tape wrapping here, the same thing I thought last year about Matteo Trentin’s bike.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Mechanics like putting their names on things, to keep them safe, often. This mechanic has stickered up his Makita inflation pump.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Modern Adventure were riding the insane looking Factor ONE race bike, though they could also choose the OSTRO as well.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
I spotted a single pair of these Michelin prototypes at Modern Adventure, They were marked ‘work in progress’ and not for sale. There could be a new road tyre on the way from Michelin; the tread itself looked very slick.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Bahrain switched from Merida to Bianchi bikes for this season. The Oltre RC aero bikes are striking. This gaping computer mount ‘mouth’ on the bars caught my eye.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
The team are also using Chinese Elilee chainsets with Dura-Ace chainrings.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
These neat carbon fibre number holders were very neat.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Spanish squad Burgos-Burpellet are a UCI Pro Team, it’s nice to cover non-WorldTour machines that are less familiar, the team were using inner tubes.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
Team NSN had some extra tape in place to quiet any computer rattle; the old tricks are the best sometimes.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
They were also using 1X SRAM chainsets with chain catcher devices. I think we will see a lot more 1X during the classics this year, most SRAM teams seem to be using them.
(Image credit: Tom Wieckowki)
We’ll finish with these big Biniam Girmay fans at the start of Omloop, one of whom was wearing a commemorative green jersey, and they were blasting music from their speaker outside the NSN team bus.