Peter Sagan and a selection of his Bora-Hansgrohe teammates will race the Down Under Classic criterium aboard custom-painted Specialized Allez Sprint Disc framesets.
"I did some training on the bike at the team camp in Mallorca in December. Now they've built me a new bike, with new colours. It's a lot stiffer than the Venge and the Tarmac but we'll see. We're going to try and race it in the criterium and then we'll see how it goes. This will be the first time I've raced on it," Sagan exclusively told Cyclingnews at the Tour Down Under pre-race press conference.
"I've raced an alloy frame before but not since I was a junior rider, maybe even before that. Certainly not in a very long time but I'm looking forward to it."
Sagan’s alloy frame and carbon fork are paired with Bora-Hansgrohe’s usual Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 groupset, Specialized finishing kit and accessories from CeramicSpeed and K-Edge.
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We talk through Peter Sagan's unique alloy race bike in the pits of the 2019 Tour Down Under
Roval CLX 64 carbon wheels are also upgraded with CeramicSpeed bearings and the three-time world champion — and current Slovakian national champion — will also race on 26mm S-Works Turbo RapidAir tubeless tyres as opposed to the more common tubular setup favoured in the WorldTour.
The Down Under Classic is the precursor to the WorldTour opener — the Tour Down Under — which begins on Tuesday. A 1.7km circuit in the heart of Adelaide is raced for an hour plus one lap, with sprint primes available on laps 5, 10, 15 and 20. Sagan won last year’s event.
Specialized’s Allez Sprint Disc frameset features D’Alusio Smart Weld (DSW) technology, relocating the traditional welds for claimed improvements to stiffness and comfort.
The carbon forks used on frameset are the same as used on the brand’s more expensive Tarmac. The carbon aero-profiled seatpost is also borrowed from the aero Venge model.
The frame features a metallic silver base coat with green chevrons along the top tube fading to the Bora-Hansgrohe green team colours. Contrasting black Specialized decals feature on the fork, down tube and chainstays.
Sagan opts for his usual cockpit setup of an unmarked carbon stem and S-Works Aerofly handlebars. Supacaz handlebar tape is used on the drops and satellite sprint shifters are also positioned on the handlebar drops.
The bike is built around a full Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 Di2 disc groupset. Sagan is running the common 160mm front/140mm rear rotor combination and an 11-28 Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 cassette, which is paired with 54/39 chainrings. The Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 crankset is equipped with a Specialized power meter.
Specialized has a history of making bold equipment choices at the Tour Down Under — Sagan's gold Roval wheels used in the 2017 of the race spring to mind — and showing here that if an Allez Sprint Disc is good enough for Peter Sagan, it’s good enough for the rest of us, is bound to leave a lasting impact.
We expect Sagan to return to his usual S-Works Venge when the Tour Down Under begins in earnest on Tuesday but, at 8kg on the nose, Sagan’s Allez Sprint Disc shouldn’t pose any problems at the Down Under Classic tomorrow.
Click through the gallery above for a closer look at Peter Sagan’s custom-painted Specialized Allez Sprint Disc.
Peter Sagan’s custom Specialized Allez Sprint full bike specifications
- Frameset: Specialized Allez Sprint Disc, size 56cm
- Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9120, 160mm rotor
- Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9120, 140mm rotor
- Brake/shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace R9170
- Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150
- Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100, 11-28
- Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100, 54/39 chainrings, 172.5mm cranks, Specialized power meter
- Bottom bracket: CeramicSpeed
- Wheelset: Roval CLX 64
- Tyres: S-Works Turbo RapidAir, 26mm tubeless
- Stem: Unmarked Zipp Sprint SL, 150mm
- Handlebars: S-Works Aerofly, 420mm
- Tape/grips: Supacaz Super Sticky Kush
- Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace R9100
- Saddle: S-Works Romin Evo
- Seat post: Specialized Venge Aero seat post, FACT Carbon
- Bottle cages: Tacx Ciro
- Computer: Wahoo Elemnt Bolt (not photographed)
- Other accessories: K-Edge chain catcher and K-Edge Wahoo Elemnt Bolt Aero out-front computer mount
Critical measurements
- Rider height: 1.84m
- Saddle height (from centre of bottom bracket): 750mm
- Tip of saddle nose to handlebars (at centre): 620mm
- Weight: 8.00kg