This year’s edition of Paris-Nice gave us a predictable winner in Tadej Pogačar. The UAE Team Emirates leader looked imperious in the annual Race to the Sun, demonstrating the kind of form he will need if he is to regain control of the Tour de France yellow jersey in July.
We were there not only to see pastry cook clinch the title in style, but also snoop around before the start to see if we could spot any interesting tech bits. Here’s what we found…
Extreme shaping changes
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Although the latest UCI rules imposed restrictions on handlebar width, they did not specify any limits on shifter positions. The result is that riders can still assume a tucked-up aero position as before, turning the cowls inward to create the narrowing effect of the bars.
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Intermarché – Cirque – Wanty’s Taco van der Hoorn has long been a proponent of the extreme gear lever angle and it was again on display at Paris-Nice – also note how low the gear levers are positioned on the bars, reproducing the racing bikes of yesteryear.
Pros don’t always jump straight to the latest bikes
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Earlier this month, the new Cannondale Super Six Evo 4 the range was revealed and included a Lab71 model which uses a new carbon layer. It’s the American brand’s lightest to date, is UCI approved and will be used by its professional sponsored teams, including the WorldTour’s EF Education-EasyPost. But maybe not quite yet.
The UCI frame sticker on this EF bike at Paris-Nice identifies it as a HiMod model—previously range-topping. And while the new frame’s 40-gram weight savings might seem advantageous to a weight-conscious pro, the previous model in race form could easily be built to tickle the lowest weight limit of 6.8kg. of the UCI.
While featherweight frames are a key aspect of Cannondale’s new Lab71 halo project, the bikes that will be installed there will also feature plenty of touches available to pros and regular riders alike with deep pockets – unique paint jobs and setups. high-end components tailored for beginners.
And it’s clear that the “second tier” bikes are still pretty fast – American Neilson Powless finished sixth overall.
No mounting tension for Soudal-Quickstep
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Soudal-Quick Step’s Tim Declerq takes no risks with his computer, which is mounted to his Specialized Tarmac SL7 via a custom etched K-Edge unit with additional tape installed in the mounting slot itself.
Safety first for Simon Yates
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Team Jayco AIUIa’s Simon Yates isn’t taking any risks either, but this time with his channel. A chain catcher sits between his Shimano Dura-Ace crankset and his Giant TCR Advanced SL bike.
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The British rider had a good start to the year, confirming his second place in the Tour Down Under with a fourth overall in Paris-Nice.
Tubeless takes off?
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His Jayco team of Luke Durbridge, Michael Matthews, Chris Harper, Lucas Hamilton, Kelland O’Brien and Matteo Sobrero won the overall team classification and did so on tubeless tyres, in the form of the new Vittoria Corsa Pros . Look for the tub vs. tubeless debate throughout the 2023 season.
Not all pros are criticized
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Not all pros ride their bikes with fully slammed stems. Especially not if you’re Uno-X pilot Søren Wærenskjold. The Danish rider is 1.91cm, or 6’3″, which translates to a few more spacers under the stem than usual.
Love at first sight for Astana
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All that glitters is… blue? Or purple? The massive adoption of shimmering, icy paintwork brings some much-needed jazz to the peloton and we love to see it. The Astana Qazaqstan Team Wilier bikes are arguably the best of the bunch.