Meet the aero bike that won Paris-Roubaix: Mathew Hayman's Scott Foil

Meet the aero bike that won Paris-Roubaix: Mathew Hayman's Scott Foil

A straightforward machine aside from 28mm Continentals and a big inner ring

To the victor, the spoils. Mathew Hayman won the 2016 Paris-Roubaix aboard a Scott Foil

Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

Ben Delaney

Published: April 10, 2016 at 6:03 pm
To the victor, the spoils. Mathew Hayman won the 2016 Paris-Roubaix aboard a Scott Foil - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Hayman's Foil is remarkable for its likeness to a standard road race bike - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Hayman swapped the 39t inner ring for a 44, with the long, rough race being nearly pancake flat - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Hayman relied on Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, as did most riders on the dozen Shimano-sponsored teams at the race - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Tough day's work for a chain — and this was a dry year at Paris-Roubaix - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Shimano C-50 tubulars are stock race gear for most flat races without cobblestones - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
This name was not atop most pre-race favorite lists - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Rain the night before the race left a few sectors muddy - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Without a traditional brake bridge, Orica has to get creative with number mounting - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The Antares is a popular saddle, but not a highly padded seat - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Hayman edited down the list of 27 sectors to the ones deemed key by his team. This seemed to work just fine for him - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Some say Di2 is hard to shift or feel well on the cobbles. Hayman managed - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The sprint shifter in its standard position - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Direct-mount Dura-Ace calipers fit around the 28mm Continentals - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Win a very hard bike race, get a very big rock - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media

Bike companies have been sectioning off their road bikes in various categories: climbing bikes for the mountains, aero bikes for the fast and flat races, endurance bikes for the rough roads, adventure bikes for the gravel, and on and on. On Sunday at the roughest road race of them all, however, it was an aero bike that won the day at the 2016 Paris-Roubaix when Orica-GreenEdge's Mathew Hayman won aboard a Scott Foil.

As with most racers in the 258km contest from Compiegne to Roubaix in northern France, Hayman had 28mm tubulars as a concession to the more than 52km of pavé. He also used 53/44 chainrings instead of the standard 53/39. Other than that, however, his bike build was that of a criterium racer's: aero wheels, aero frame, thin saddle and a single layer of handlebar tape.

Hayman's mud-splattered aero bike stood in contrast to the many other endurance machines that came into the old velodrome in Roubaix. Many had double bar tape. Some had an extra brake lever mounted on the handlebar top. Some had 30mm tubulars.

Hayman's use of Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 also contrasted to the publicized positions of race favorites Peter Sagan and Fabian Cancellara who opted for mechanical Dura-Ace.

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Hayman's foil is remarkable for its likeness to a standard road race bike: hayman's foil is remarkable for its likeness to a standard road race bike

While early aero bikes earned a reputation for being overly stiff and harsh — with the original Scott Foil falling somewhat in this category — the new Foil was completely overhauled with increased compliance being a goal for the Swiss company.

Towards the end of the race, Hayman was clear in a group that included four-time race winner Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quick Step) and Ian Stannard (Team Sky). After various attacks came to naught, Boonen led the group into the final meters, and Hayman was able to come around in the sprint for the win.

To read all about how it unfolded and the myriad stories inside Paris-Roubaix, be sure to check out Cyclingnews.com.

Complete bike specifications of Mathew Hayman's Scott Foil

  • Frameset: Scott Foil
  • Stem: Integrated Scott Foil
  • Handlebar: PRO alloy
  • Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace direct-mount
  • Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace direct-mount
  • Brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070
  • Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 FD-9070
  • Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 RD-9070
  • Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 + SW-R610 sprint shifters (on drops)
  • Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-9000, 11-25T
  • Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000
  • Crankset: SRM Shimano 11-speed, 53/44T
  • Pedals: Shimano 9000 Dura-Ace
  • Wheelset: Shimano C-50tubular
  • Tubulars: Continental Competition Pro LTD, 28mm
  • Saddle: Fizik Antares
  • Seatpost: Ritchey Foil
  • Computer: SRM Power Control 8 (not pictured)

Ben Delaney

Contributor

Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
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