Pro bike: Alison Powers' Wilier Triestina Cento1SR
Pro bike: Alison Powers' Wilier Triestina Cento1SR
A custom stars-and-stripes machine for the triple national champion
Alison Powers (UnitedHealthcare) isn't just a US national champion; she's a triple national champion with current road, time trial and criterium titles
Alison Powers (UnitedHealthcare) isn't just a US national champion; she's a triple national champion with current road, time trial and criterium titles - James Huang / Future Publishing
Alison Powers (UnitedHealthcare) has been a dominant force in US women's cycling and team sponsor Wilier Triestina has rightfully supplied her with a custom road bike - James Huang / Future Publishing
Paint jobs like this can be bought but they're far better when earned. Soon Alison Powers (UnitedHealthcare) will have a time trial bike to match, too - James Huang / Future Publishing
The huge tubes on the Wilier Triestina Cento 1 SR provide plenty of surface area - James Huang / Future Publishing
Alison Powers' (UnitedHealthcare) Wilier Cento 1 SR is equipped with a Pioneer power meter - James Huang / Future Publishing
Even the finishing tape and K-Edge computer mount get in on the stars-and-stripes motif - James Huang / Future Publishing
The K-Edge machined aluminum mount for the Pioneer computer head uses the same base as the company's original Garmin mount but with a different extension - James Huang / Future Publishing
Alison Powers (UnitedHealthcare) runs her ergonomic-bend Ritchey aluminum bars with a slight upward tilt - James Huang / Future Publishing
The Ritchey cockpit is all aluminum - James Huang / Future Publishing
A blue anodized K-Edge chain catcher provides a bit of insurance - James Huang / Future Publishing
We caught up with Alison Powers' (UnitedHealthcare) new stars-and-stripes Wilier Triestina Cento 1 SR near her home in Colorado. She trains on the Shimano RS-81 clinchers shown here but races on Shimano carbon tubulars - James Huang / Future Publishing
Wilier Triestina claims the Cento 1 SR's truncated tube profiles offer an aerodynamic benefit - James Huang / Future Publishing
The integrated seat mast is capped with a carbon fiber Ritchey head. Powers normally uses a fi'zi:k Vitesse saddle but the proper clamp bits for the carbon rails weren't on hand in time for the photoshoot, so an Arione is subbed in here temporarily - James Huang / Future Publishing
The chain stays are absolutely huge - all the better to harness Alison Powers' (UnitedHealthcare) considerable power - James Huang / Future Publishing
The stays are capped with tidy carbon dropouts - James Huang / Future Publishing
A K-Edge stainless steel number plate holder is sandwiched between the rear brake and frame - James Huang / Future Publishing
The magnet for the Pioneer power meter is neatly taped to the down tube - James Huang / Future Publishing
The back of the fork crown is tucked up against the down tube - James Huang / Future Publishing
The seat tube also uses a truncated pseudo-airfoil profile - James Huang / Future Publishing
Clearance is awfully tight for the Pioneer power meter on the non-driveside. In fact, team mechanics actually have to grind the box down just a bit in order to clear the chain stays - James Huang / Future Publishing
Alison Powers (UnitedHealthcare) isn't just a US national champion; she's a triple national champion, holding concurrent road, criterium, and time trial titles. She's the first American rider (man or woman) to have done so too.
Naturally, then, team sponsor Wilier Triestina has supplied the affable Coloradan with a custom painted Cento1SR to race on the road – and soon there will be a time trial rig to match.
The huge tubes on the wilier triestina cento 1 sr provide plenty of surface area: the huge tubes on the wilier triestina cento 1 sr provide plenty of surface area
Paintjobs like this can be bought but they're far better when earned
Out of Wilier's trio of top road models, Powers' new Cento1SR seems a fitting choice for her all-around capabilities. The huge frame tubes are well bolstered for stiffness, there's a bit of aero shaping, and our own tests have proven it to be surprisingly comfortable. Chassis weight may not be the bike's strongest suit but perhaps save for the most mountainous races, it clearly hasn't held Powers back much.
Powers' bike is dressed with a capable, workhorse build that includes a Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 mechanical group and pedals, an all-aluminium Ritchey cockpit, and a crank-based power meter from new player Pioneer. Many of the accessories get in on the custom party too: there's red, white and blue handlebar finishing tape; a blue anodised chain catcher and computer mount from K-Edge; and a blue electronics box cover from Pioneer.
Alison powers' (unitedhealthcare) wilier cento 1 sr is equipped with a pioneer power meter: alison powers' (unitedhealthcare) wilier cento 1 sr is equipped with a pioneer power meter
There are some serious watts being measured by the Pioneer power meter
We caught up with Powers' bike while she was briefly home in between races, so the bike was set up for training with Shimano RS-81 aluminium/carbon wheels and thick Maxxis clinchers. As a result, the bike is somewhat heavy – 8.08kg (17.81lb) as shown here – but would be slightly lighter in its proper race trim – plus, keep in mind that Powers rides an XL frame size.
We caught up with alison powers' (unitedhealthcare) new stars-and-stripes wilier triestina cento 1 sr near her home in colorado. she trains on the shimano rs-81 clinchers shown here but races on shimano carbon tubulars: we caught up with alison powers' (unitedhealthcare) new stars-and-stripes wilier triestina cento 1 sr near her home in colorado. she trains on the shimano rs-81 clinchers shown here but races on shimano carbon tubulars
The Shimano RS-81 wheels and Maxxis Re-Fuse tyres are used just for training
While that extra material adds a few more grams, it also provides plenty of surface area for the fetching patriotic paint. And while colorschemes like this can certainly be bought, they're far better when earned properly.
Wilier had a banner year in that sense, too, at least on the American front. In addition to Powers' wins, SmartStop rider Eric Marcotte also took home the men's road championship on a Wilier – and he's got a custom painted Zero.9.
"I love the paintjob," Powers told BikeRadar. "I feel really special to get to ride that bike. I'm so happy and honoured that Wilier sent me this and the new TT bike. Eric's better not be cooler than mine!"
Alison powers (unitedhealthcare) isn't just a us national champion; she's a triple national champion with current road, time trial, and criterium titles: alison powers (unitedhealthcare) isn't just a us national champion; she's a triple national champion with current road, time trial, and criterium titles
Complete bike specifications
Frame: Wilier Triestina Cento1SR, size XL
Fork: Wilier Triestina Cento1SR
Headset: Ritchey Pro Drop-In, 1 1/8-to-1 1/4in tapered
Stem: Ritchey WCS 4-Axis, 110mm x -7degrees
Handlebar: Ritchey WCS Logic II, 42cm (c-c)
Tape: fi'zi:k
Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000
Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000
Brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control ST-9000
Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace FD-9000
Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace RD-9000
Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control ST-9000
James Huang is BikeRadar's former technical editor. After leaving BikeRadar in 2016, he worked at CyclingTips and Escape Collective. He now runs the Substack cycling publication N-1 Bikes.
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