Spanish national time trial champion Jonathan Castroviejo takes a look at his custom Pinarello Bolide at the start - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Norwegian national time trial champion Edvald Boasson Hagen raced the prologue on a Cervelo P3 - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Boasson Hagen's speedsuit had an interesting cut with the ribbed aero sleeves wrapping around the top of the shoulders and a much high than usual collar at the front - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Pro Continental team Vital Concept use Orbea Ordu framesets for time trialling - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The Orbea Ordu are equipped with Tri Rig Omega X brakes front and rear - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Unlike many time trial framesets that use integrated steerers and stem systems, the Orbea runs a traditional stem - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The majority of the Mitchelton-Scott team use unbranded Lightweight Autobahn rear time trial wheels - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Movistar use team-issue Endura Drag2Zero overshoes - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Bob Jungels was one of several riders to wear an ice vest ahead of their start in an attempt to keep their core temperature down - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Bob Jungels used what appeared to be a custom saddle on his time trial bike - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A small amount of grip tape was used on Jungels' handlebar extensions - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Waterproof overshoes from VeloToze double up as aero over socks for time trials - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Cofidis use the lesser seen Suomy helmets - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
While some riders prefer practically straight handlebar extensions, others can opt for nearly 90-degree angles on their setups - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Paddy Bevin's BMC Timemachine - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A few Team Sky riders, including Luke Rowe, have opted for short sleeve versions of their Castelli speedsuits, which caused controversy at the Tour de France last year - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Team Sunweb raced the prologue on Giant-branded, 4-spoked, carbon front wheels - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
An AG2R La Mondiale mechanic frantically adjusted Alexis Gougeard's front brake just seconds before the young French rider set off - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
EF Education First-Drapac's Cannondale SuperSlice were raced as rim brake only amongst the team riders, with the disc brake versions of the bike all on the team car roof - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
One of the Quick-Step Floors riders had an orange cap on his Specialized power meter, only previously seen in black - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Mechanics rubbed down the tyres ahead of the start to ensure any grit was removed from the tyres before setting off - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Most of Team Sky have raced with Stages power meters so far this season but several of the riders used Shimano power meters for the Dauphine prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
UAE Team Emirates use the Colnago K.One as its time trial bike - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Vincenzo Nibali's Merida Warp time trial bike for the Criterium du Dauphine prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Romain Bardet kept warm on a turbo trainer until switching to his time trial bike and the start ramp just seconds before he was due to set off - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Heinrich Haussler opted for no socks for the prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Michal Kwiatkowski's custom Pinarello Bolide in Polish national colours for the national time trial champion, which won the prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Kwiatkowski's cockpit had a custom cut-out for a small computer - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Trek-Segafredo have been running Shimano power meters this year but for the prologue opted for their old SRM power meters - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A look at Fabio Felline's (Trek-Segafredo) cockpit setup - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Like most riders on the day, Dan Martin opted for a 54T outer chainring - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Dan Martin wears a MET Drone time trial helmet for the prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Several riders for Vital Concept opted for elliptical chainrings, with the brandine blacked out - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Daryl Impey in the colours of the South African national time trial champion - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Despite leaving Team Sunweb at the end of last season, Warren Barguil clearly still has a penchant for his old team-issue overshoes - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Fortuneo-Samsic's eye-catching Look time trial machine - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Swedish national time trial champion Tobias Ludvigsson's Lapierre Aerostorm in custom colours - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Joey Rosskopf in the stars and stripes of the USA national champion - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Geraint Thomas heads to the start area in his Castelli speedsuit - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Geraint Thomas' Pinarello Bolide for the Criterium du Dauphine prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
It appeared Geraint Thomas was using a titanium cockpit first seen at the Tour de France last year - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Pierre Latour wears the Franch national champion colours - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Cockpits were still being setup minutes before the start - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Each Bahrain-Merida rider has a custom mat to warm up on ahead of the prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A closer look at the Vision base bars used by the Bahrain-Merida team - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Alex Edmonson of Mitchelton-Scott was one of the first riders off - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The Mitchelton-Scott team issue Scott Plasma - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A Team Sunweb Giant Trinity as used by Tom Dumoulin to world championships victory in Bergen last year - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Wanty-Groupe Gobert use Cube C68s as their time trial bikes - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Plenty of riders opt for triathlon-specific saddles for time trialling with this Fizik a popular choice - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Michal Kwiatkowski ran identical customised Fizik Tritone saddles on both his first and second race bikes - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Team Cofidis' Campagnolo Super Record EPS rear derailleurs have been customised with CeramicSpeed's OSPW system - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The spare Cannondale SuperSlice bikes for EF-Drapac were the disc brake version of the bike - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The SuperSlice uses cable actuated disc brakes - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
EF-Drapac were running Garmin Vector power meter pedals - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Several Movistar riders opted for unbranded Hed three spoke front wheels as opposed to the regular offering from Campagnolo - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A look at the ENVE cockpit setup on one of the Dimension Date Cervelo P5 - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Dimension Data are another team to use CeramicSpeed's OSPW system - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A look at Astana's time trial setup - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A few of the Quick-Step Floors S-Works Shiv time trial bikes - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Quick-Step Floors were racing with the new Roval 321 Disc rear wheel - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Here you can see the split down tube design of the Factor Slick - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Russian national champion Ilnur Zakarin warms up ahead of the prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Team cars follow each rider for time trials with a specific name board for each rider attached to the car before setting off - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
UCI representatives measure each bike with a jig to ensure they meet the regulations before each rider is allowed to set off - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
National time trial champion of Great Britain, Steve Cummings rolls up the start ramp for his prologue effort - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The riders enjoyed a brief spell in the shade before being called up for their start slot - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Ilnur Zakarin and his Katusha-Alpecin teammates wore Oakley helmets for the prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Each of the Quick-Step Floors riders have custom over shoes - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Many brands now produce pockets specifically for race numbers to save using safety pins to affix the numbers - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
While several teams used turbo trainers to warm up, Quick-Step Floors opted for rollers - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Another titanium cockpit from Pinarello for Team Sky - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Sportful are one of several speedsuit manufacturers to locate the zipper to the rear of the suit for improved aerodynamics - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A few riders from Movistar and Katusha-Alpecin raced with the new WTO wheel range from Campagnolo - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
European champion Victor Campenaerts ran his usual time trial helmet set up with no visor - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Wax lubricant from Campenaert's drivetrain had sprayed the Belgian's legs with dots of wax - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The custom painted Ridley Dean of the European time trial champion, Victor Campanaerts - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Pierre Latour's custom painted Factor Slick for the Franch national champion - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Campenaert's custom Ridley has different shades of blue and white pinstripe detailing on the black frameset - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A short 6.6km prologue in Valence got the Critérium du Dauphinè underway on Sunday, with riders testing their time trial equipment in view of the rapidly approaching Tour de France.
Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) took the stage victory and race lead, riding in the colours of the Polish national time trial champion. Kwiatkowski's Team Sky teammates Gianni Moscon and Jonathan Castroviejo also finished in the top ten while wearing the national colours of Italy and Spain, respectively.
The national road championships are traditionally held on the last weekend in June, giving riders a final opportunity to show off their colours at this month's Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. In total, there are 12 national champions, plus the European champion in Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) at the 70th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné, just under 10 percent of the race starters.
Bob Jungels used what appeared to be a custom saddle on his time trial bike - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Alongside the national champions' customised speedsuits, bikes, helmets and accessories, the prologue also gave an opportunity for riders to test the latest wheels and tweak their setups ahead of the team time trial on Wednesday, itself a crucial test ahead of next month's Tour de France team time trial.
Campagnolo-sponsored Movistar and Lotto Soudal had a number of riders using the new Campagnolo WTO wheel range, or Wind Tunnel Optimised, while Team Sunweb appeared to be racing with a new 4-spoke carbon front wheel from Giant.
Quick-Step Floors were another team on new, time trial-specific carbon wheels with the Roval 321 Disc carbon rears. The time trial wheels from Specialized's wheel brand were launched last month and are available in both rim or disc brake options.
Most of Team Sky have raced with Stages power meters so far this season but several of the riders used Shimano power meters for the Dauphine prologue - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Alongside a new rear wheel, Quick-Step Floors' Bob Jungels also appeared to be racing on a custom carbon saddle, likely due to help keep position where other production saddles cannot.
Several riders opted to roll to the start line in ice vests in an attempt to keep core body temperatures low in the humid conditions in Valence, while an array of fans and cooling systems were in place around the team buses while riders warmed up ahead of their start times.
Click or swipe through the gallery above to see all that was on display at the Critérium du Dauphiné time trial opener.
