The Dutch champion Mathieu van der Poel has resumed his training from his residence in Alicante after several weeks of rest. In his latest Instagram posts, he has been seen riding an unprecedented Canyon bike, different from any road model that the German brand currently has in its catalog.
The images, shared on social media by both Van der Poel and some of his training partners, such as Freddy Ovett or Laurens Vanthoor, show a bike with several visible modifications compared to the Aeroad and Ultimate models.
The unprecedented Canyon that Van der Poel has been seen training with
A new handlebar design with a forward upper part is noticeable, different from the integrated “Pace” cockpit that Canyon presented this year for the Ultimate. The rear triangle also seems redesigned, with lower stays and apparently a greater wheel clearance. It seems that the cable integration is now even cleaner.
The Canyon Aeroad CFR was renewed just a year ago and remains the reference machine for the Alpecin-Deceuninck team in almost any competition, so an early replacement seems unlikely. Instead, the brand’s release schedule does suggest that the Ultimate is close to receiving an update, which would fit with the current development timeline.
However, the market trend, with examples like the Trek Madone Gen 8 or the Colnago Y1Rs, could have led Canyon to create an “all-in-one” bike that combines the aerodynamic advantages of the Aeroad with the climbing efficiency of the Ultimate.
What seems confirmed is that Van der Poel is riding a completely unprecedented bike so far, as Canyon responded to road.cc about this appearance on social media: “Just like in Formula 1, the CFR platform is in constant development alongside our athletes.”Â
Screenshot from @cyclingspy showing a greater wheel clearance
A response that leaves the door open for it to be a prototype in the testing phase before its official presentation.