TT specialist Gustav Larsson (IAM Cycling) had one of the most exotic set ups at the time trial – a straight and a curved extension bar and some seriously deep elbow cups
TT specialist Gustav Larsson (IAM Cycling) had one of the most exotic set ups at the time trial – a straight and a curved extension bar and some seriously deep elbow cups - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Larsson’s Scott Plasma 3 with DT Swiss wheels at the finish - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Another shot of Larsson’s assymetrical cockpit - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
A custom touch – the Swedish flag – on Larsson’s Prologo saddle - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Cofidis is using TriRig Omega aero caliper brakes on the Look 596 TT bikes - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Coppel (Cofidis) is an Osymetric ring user - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Coppel was interested in his data – but not during the race — and his SRM head unit was mounted beneath the saddle - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Danny Pate’s cockpit features a world of grip tape - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Garmin mounted neatly with a K-Edge CNC aluminium mount - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Pate’s Pinarello Bolide languishes in the sun after his ride. His Criterium really starts Monday working for his leader, Chris Froome - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
The cover over the front of the stem on the Bolide houses a fair amount of cabling - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Neatly placed grip tape and custom brake levers of Pate’s Bolide - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
There’s still a lot of first generation Shimano Di2 on the peloton’s TT bikes, such as this battery on Ralf Matzka’s (Netapp-Endura)Fuji - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Team Sky are running FMB tyres and, for the short TT, 54/42 chainrings - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
A pristine block and chain on Kristijan Durasek’s(Lampre-Merida) Merida Warp TT bike - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
A Prologo Zero TT CPC saddle on Durasek’s bike - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Dmitry Kozontchuk’s (Katusha) Speedmax CF TT machine - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Kozontchuk’s TT bike still has an old generation Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 crankset – probably because of SRM compatibility - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ.fr) wearing an Alpina TT helmet. The brand – well known in the snow sports arena – started sponsoring FDR.fr at the beginning of the year - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Markel Irizar (Trek Factory Racing) aboard this hypnotic Bontrager disc wheel - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Campagnolo might have updated (and elongated) its EPS battery, but still the best place to put it is at the bottom of the down tube on some bikes - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Plenty of negative setback on Kozontchuk’s (Katusha) bike - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Orica-GreenEdge are happy with the old style Di2 batteries on custom mounts. Here’s Leigh Howard’s bike - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Howard rides in a fairly high position - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Jerome Coppel (Cofidis) may have put the whole SRM away, but there is another way - Howard tapes over distracting numbers - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
A Specialized Sitero saddle on Tanel Kangert’s (Astana) Specialized Shiv; his teammate Jakob Fuglsang had one too - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Scott Thwaites (NetApp-Endura) pauses for a moment after the finish before riding off - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Prologo Zero TT saddles are a popular choice among the pros - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Rotor Flow cranks with and Rotor NoQ aero chainrings - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Slipstream) is back racing after the shortest of breaks following the Giro d'Italia and he continues with his Berner oversized pulley jockey wheels - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Hesjedal wore Castelli’s Aero Speed Gloves – which are more like mitts - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
There’s plenty of up/down and setback adjustment on Jack Bobridge’s (Belkin) Bianchi Pico Carbon - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
A pretty messy cockpit on Rein Taaramae’s (Cofidis) Look 596 TT bike - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Taaramae was using a massive 56t FSA chainring - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Vincenzo Nibali’s (Astana) tidy cockpit. He finished eighth, 13 seconds down on Froome - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
Chris Froome (Team Sky) triumphed in the opening stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné – a 10.4km time trial characterised by a block headwind in the final third after riders crossed the River Saône in Lyon, France.
It was a tough day for most of the riders. Bob Jungels (Trek Factory Racing) laid down the early marker to beat - 13m 22s - that lasted for most of the afternoon. The Luxembourger's time stood until Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo), the second last rider off, breached it. Then moments later, it was Froome – the last rider off – who took an extra eight seconds from the Spaniard. Afterwards he said he received intelligence that he would need to hold something back for the tough final. “Good advice” he called it in the winner’s press conference. He said the team will discuss whether they try to defend the jersey on Monday’s lumpy stage starting in Tarare.
BikeRadar was on hand to watch the riders come home and check out the gear they used to tackle the short urban course in Lyon. Bikes were fitted with large chainrings for the flattish course and a couple of the riders we saw had developed some nicely customised set-ups.
Click through the gallery for more.
Another shot of larsson’s assymetrical cockpit: - Sam Dansie/BikeRadar
