Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Leopard-Trek) is looking for redemption at this year's Ronde van Vlaanderen, and he isn't taking any chances equipment-wise. 'Spartacus' will tackle the Flemish cobbles aboard his tried-and-true Trek Domane 6-Series.
While most of his teammates opt for the uncannily smooth-riding Domane only for the Belgian classics – otherwise using Trek's more aggressive Madone model for the majority of races – Cancellara is unique in that he prefers it year-round. As it's barely heavier and supposedly just as efficient in terms of power transfer, though, it's perhaps surprising that more teammates don't follow suit – particularly given that Trek even produces a special geometry with a shorter head tube, too.
Spartacus gets custom graphics — and a 140mm stem
As we've noted in years past, Cancellara's setup for RVV is only slightly different from his everyday race configuration with no changes aside from the 25mm-wide FMB Paris-Roubaix tubular tires instead of the usual Schwalbes. The rear derailleur is also equipped with Berner's ultra-oversized carbon fiber cage and pulleys – which are claimed to reduce drivetrain friction – while the driveside dropout is a one-piece unit instead of having the bolt-on replaceable hanger of the consumer version.
Otherwise, Cancellara's Domane uses a straightforward build, including a complete Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 mechanical group instead of the electronic one we showed you just a few days ago. The Swiss rider is said to prefer the cable-actuated lever's longer throws over Di2 buttons when things get bumpy.
A Swiss-made Berner derailleur cage with huge pulley wheels that supposedly reduce friction
The Bontrager label is found on nearly everything else, including the 50mm-deep Aeolus 5 D3 carbon wheels, 140mm-long Race XXX Lite stem, Team Issue saddle, and 44cm-wide anatomic-bend aluminum Race Lite handlebar. Filling in the rest of the gaps are Nokon aluminum housing throughout, SwissStop's latest Black Prince carbon-specific pads, titanium-spindled Speedplay Zero pedals, and a single wrap of standard Bontrager cork tape.
Actual weight as pictured is 7.5kg/16.53lb.