Hidden SRAM wireless TT shifters, wild shoe covers and more as teams break out the go-fast gear
AG2R's Domenico Pozzovivo had what looks to be Walser Bar 5 bars that incorporate armrests into the base bar. SRAM wireless shifters are visible beneath the bar tape on both the base bar and the extensions. The buttons look to be independent of the brake levers, and round in shape, possibly following the outline of a watch-style battery
AG2R's Domenico Pozzovivo had what looks to be Walser Bar 5 bars that incorporate armrests into the base bar. SRAM wireless shifters are visible beneath the bar tape on both the base bar and the extensions. The buttons look to be independent of the brake levers, and round in shape, possibly following the outline of a watch-style battery - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Pozzovivo also had SRAM's wireless groupset on two Focus Izalco Chrono TT machines. This looks to be the wireless receiver box, here mounted to a Garmin-type bracket on one of the TT extensions - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
This angle shows the integrated design of the bar, and thick foam arm rests - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Pozzovivo has an extremely low time trial position - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The wireless SRAM satellite shifters are visible here in profile - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
BMC's Phillipe Gilbert chooses Fizik's Volta R1 saddle for daily duties - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Okay, so not strictly race tech, but a giant pink Mack truck full of speakers isn't something we see every day - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
AG2R's Domenico Pozzovivo's regular Focus Izalco Max road bike was equipped with SRAM's wireless groupset - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The AG2R riders wore these unusually textured overshoes in their quest for speed in the team time trial - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Pozzovivo's bike was deliberately parked with the drive side against the wall - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
But it was still possible to grab a look at the wireless rear derailleur - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The wireless rear deraileur looks to be fully finished and very unfussy, with the removable battery at the rear - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Nippo Vini Fantini's De Rosas were decked out with mechanical Campagnolo groupsets, but had a slightly fussy cable routing - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Eugenio Alafacio of Trek Factory Racing really didn't want to see his heart rate during the Giro's opening TTT - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Team Sky always draw a crowd. A team helper has to lift a Pinarello Bolide TT bike over the throng to load on to a team car - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Australian time trial champion, and Team Sky's leader for this Giro, Richie Porte favours electrical tape only on his extension bars - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Specialized stopped making this TTS saddle in 2014. But it's still the TT perch of choice for at least one Etixx-QuickStep team rider - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The Specialized Sitero TT saddle was a very popular choice - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Iljo Keisse's road bike has a long negative rise stem, K-Edge Garmin mount, bar tape right up to the Di2 sprint shifters squeezed up against it, and a top tube sticker in memory of former team mate Wouter Weyland, who tragically died in the 2011 Giro - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Power2Max provide Etixx Quick Step with power meters, here fitted to an FSA K-Force Light crank, and 55t TT chain ring - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Another Etixx team bike's Specialized Sitero saddle showing the Di2 control box mounted beneath it - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
PRO's Aerofuel time trial saddle on a Giant Alpecin team bike - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
As well as a minimalist electrical tape bar covering on this bike, the Giant Alpecin team also wrapped all of their risers with tape to cover the tiny gaps - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Giant Alpecin mount their Di2 control units beneath the saddle, in this case, less neatly - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Giant's Trinitys had very busy left chainstays, with the rear brake, external Di2 battery, rider race chip and speed sensor - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
This IAM Cycling Scott Plasma was topped with a Prologo Zero TT saddle with CPC grip material. The team mount their Di2 control boxes to the top of the seatpost, and this saddle also shows many riders' favourite post race drink - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
This pair of IAM Cycling Scott Plasmas were fitted with different rear tubulars - a 23mm on the left and 25mm on the right - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The Plasma displays a perfectly neat cockpit, with Di2 wires routed in to the risers, and no cables or junction box on show - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Movistar's Canyon Speedmax still has a down tube mounted external Campagnolo EPS battery - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
This pair of Movistar team Canyon Speedmax machines show markedly different rider positions, and the hidden front brake - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Campagnolo's Bora Ultra carbon TT crank is still an impressive thing - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Poland's CCC Sprandi Polkowice team have got orange covered. Even their base layers were orange. - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The team ride Guercotti Eclipse TT bikes, with colour coded Ursus wheels, FSA crank, Shimano Dura-Ace gearing and Time pedals - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The frame says it's a 2016 prototype model - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The fork has a definite Ridley Noah Fast look to it, with a carbon V-brake behind, and some less than ideal down tube cable routing - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
We wouldn't recommend resting a pile of Canyon Speedmax machines on their delicate Campy bar end shifters - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Katusha's Canyon Speedmax machines had their brake pad wheel guides trimmed away; we're unsure why - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Mavic's CXR 80T and CXR 60T wheels on the roof of a Katusha team car - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The CXR 60T is an up-to-date modern rim at 27mm wide - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
An IAM Cycling Scott Plasma with external Shimano Di2 battery mounted under the saddle - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Cannondale Garmin brought this all-black Slice RS TT bike in addition to their usual green, white and black livery - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Tom Danielson rolls up to the team car after finishing the team time trial - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The Cannondale Garmin riders formed a congratulatory huddle together as soon as they arrived back from the TTT - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Team sponsor Garmin supplies the Virb action camera, which was used during the TTT - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
Lapierre's Aerostorm has a neat cockpit design, although this particular bike sports a lot of riser spacers - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
La Francaise des Jeux's Lapierre Aerostorms were painted with an elongated French flag design on the top tube - Robin Wilmott/Immediate Media
The Giro d'Italia opened this year with a team time trial, and the world's best teams rolled to the start line with the fastest possible gear their sponsors could provide. Most notable was the somewhat-masked appearance of SRAM's wireless time-trial shifters for its not-yet-released electronic group. SRAM-sponsored AG2R had Focus Izalco Chrono bikes with shift buttons on the extensions and base bar wrapped underneath the bar tape.
SRAM declined to comment on the shifters, but we were able to photograph them from several angles. It appears they could function in the same way as the SRAM electronic road shifters, with a single button being used on each side — left shifts the rear derailleur up, right shifts the rear derailleur down and both buttons pressed at the same time moves the front derailleur.
AG2R's Domenico Pozzovivo had bespoke time-trial bars on his Focus Izalco Chrono that provided him an ultra-low position. Pozzovivo, who won stage 3 of the Giro del Trentinto using SRAM electric, crashed out of the Giro on stage 3. Pozzovivo previously told Cyclingnews that he likes electric shifting. "When you get used to it, it feels easier than mechanical gears," Pozzovivo told Cyclingnews.
Pozzovivo also had sram's wireless groupset on two focus izalco chrono tt machines. this looks to be the wireless receiver box, here mounted to a garmin-type bracket on one of the tt extensions: pozzovivo also had sram's wireless groupset on two focus izalco chrono tt machines. this looks to be the wireless receiver box, here mounted to a garmin-type bracket on one of the tt extensions
Wires from four SRAM shifters feed into this junction box, which may communicate wirelessly with the derailleurs
For a detailed look at the bikes and gear of the Giro d'Italia team time trial, look through the gallery above.
Robin Wilmott is a freelance writer and bike tester. He began road cycling in 1988 and, with mountain bikes in their infancy, mixed experimental off-road adventures with club time trials and road races. Cyclocross soon became a winter staple and has remained Robin's favourite form of competition. Robin has always loved the technical aspect of building and maintaining bikes, and several years working in a bike shop only amplified that. Robin was a technical writer for BikeRadar for nearly a decade, and has tested hundreds of bikes and products for the site. He has also written extensively for Cycling Plus, Velonews and Cyclingnews.
This website is owned and published by Our Media Ltd. www.ourmedia.co.uk
