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Gallery: Start line tech from the Tour of Flanders

published 2 April 2013

Bikes and gear in Brugge

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Crelan-Euphony's Colnago C59s take a final rest before getting throttled up the cobbled climbs of Ronde van Vlaanderen(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Thor Hushovd's (BMC) machine is visually distinguished by a little extra graphic work.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Adjustable front derailleur mounts are used on Vini Fantini-Selle Italia's Cipollini RB1000 bikes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Thomas Voeckler's (Europcar) wheels and tires are apparently kept separate from the rest of the team.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Europcar veteran Thomas Voeckler opted for mechanical Campagolo Record for Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Euskaltel-Euskadi's Orbea Orca for Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

There's a lot of carbon here on Sylvain Chavanel's (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4. Zipp even uses a carbon fiber upper cradle for its SLSpeed seatpost.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

SRAM's new chain catcher provides some peace of mind on Sylvain Chavanel's (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Omega Pharma-QuickStep team bikes are outfitted with CeramicSpeed bottom bracket bearings.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) perches himself atop a Specialized S-Works Romin saddle.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) used a nearly identical Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4 as ill-fated teammate Tom Boonen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

BMC is clearly using some ultra-strong double-sided tape to apply these number plate holders.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 for BMC rider Thor Hushovd at Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

A long stem with lots of drop for BMC rider Adam Blythe.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

BMC opted for the SLR01 TeamMachine model for Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Blanco fielded a fleet of Giant Defy Advanced SLs for Ronde van Vlaanderen. The one exception was team leader Lars Boom, who stuck with his usual TCR Advanced SL.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Blanco rider Jos van Emden needed a few millimeters shaved off of the headset cover on his Giant Defy Advanced SL.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

We have no idea how riders actually manage to read these things.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Thomas Voeckler's (Europcar) Colnago C59 at Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Semi-anatomic bars for Thomas Voeckler (Europcar).(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

It's that time of year again. No matter what the decal or sponsor affiliation, this badge is the telltale giveaway that the rider is rolling on Ambrosio Nemesis box-section aluminum tubulars.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

A wrap of electrical tape provides extra security for Mattia Pozzo's (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) Garmin Edge 305 computer.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

It's impossible to miss Vini Fantini-Selle Italia's Cipollini machines - and with the conveniently placed logo on the side of the van, this image looks double-watermarked.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Edvald Boassen Hagen's (Sky) spare Pinarello Dogma K just prior to the start of Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Geraint Thomas's (Sky) spare Pinarello Dogma 65.1 Think 2 takes a ride atop the team car.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

These tires were branded "Specialized" but if only by the font, there's little mistaking this for anything other than an FMB.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

A SRAM Red 2012 rear derailleur is mated to a SRAM PC-1070 cassette on Daniele Bennati's (Saxo-Tinkoff) Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Segmented aluminum cable housing for Daniele Bennati (Saxo-Tinkoff).(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Saxo-Tinkoff rode Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4s at Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

NetApp's Fuji Altamira heads to the start line of Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Movistar riders opted for the Pinarello Dogma K at Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Slick integrated number plate holders for Katusha's Canyon Aeroad CF rigs.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) used Canyon's latest Ultimate CF SLX model at the Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) is using a new chain catcher from French company Aivee, complete with a small set screw to lock the position a la SRAM's latest Red model.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Colnago has stuck to its guns with lugged construction on the flagship C59.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Look KéO Blade pedals for Thomas Voeckler (Europcar).(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Maarten Tjallingii (Blanco) prefers his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 satellite shifter rotated 90 degrees as compared to the norm.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

A small zip-tie keeps this Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 wire in place on Blanco's Giant Defy Advanced SL.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

27mm-wide FMB Paris-Roubaix tubular tires mounted on Fulcrum Racing Speed XLR deep-section carbon wheels for the Ag2R-La Mondiale team at Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

A little tape provides extra security for this CycleOps computer mount.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

24mm-wide Vittoria Pave Evo CG prototypes and 3T's unique Mercurio carbon tubular wheels for Topsport-Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

This Topsport-Vlaanderen Merckx EMX-525 had the usual course cheat sheet applied - but look at the logo at top left. Guessing this came courtesy of one of the folks at Radioshack-Leopard-Trek.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Judging by the color, it looks like Topsport-Vlaanderen might be running machined stainless steel rear derailleur hangers.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Styling for Topsport-Vlaanderen's Merckx EMX-525 frame looks to have come from Lockheed's F-117.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Funky kinked stays on Topsport-Vlaanderen's Merckx EMX-525.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Huge section diameters are used on Topsport-Vlaanderen's Merckx EMX-525 frames at Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Topsport-Vlaanderen's striking Merckx EMX-525.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Rotor chain catchers provide some extra insurance for Garmin-Sharp.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Plenty of tire clearance through the fork crown on Garmin-Sharp's specially modified Cervélo R3.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

The usual Cervélo R3 fork is swapped out for this bigger and wider model for more tire clearance on Garmin-Sharp team bikes at Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Note the brake pad position in the calipers on this Garmin-Sharp Cervélo R3. These bikes - the same as will be used in Paris-Roubaix - have longer stays than normal for additional tire clearance.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Garmin-Sharp's Cervélo R3s at Ronde van Vlaanderen were visually similar to consumer versions but with longer stays and different forks to provide more tire clearance and mellower handling.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Solid spiders and outer chainrings on this Garmin-Sharp Rotor 3D+ crankset for maximum available stiffness.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Garmin-Sharp's Cervélo R3 machines get a new paint job for Ronde van Vlaanderen. These are the same bikes the team will use for Paris-Roubaix on Sunday.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Ag2R-La Mondiale is using fi'zi:k's new aluminum bars and stems.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Ag2R-La Mondiale also had 25mm-wide Dugasts mounted to aluminum Fulcrum Racing Zero tubular wheels.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

25mm-wide Vittoria Corsa Evo CX tubulars mounted on 35mm-deep Shimano Dura-Ace carbon tubulars for this Blanco rider.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Double-wrapped bars to help tackle the cobbled climbs of Ronde van Vlaanderen for this Blanco rider.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Lars Boom (Blanco) continues to test Pioneer's new power meter.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Lars Boom's (Blanco) Giant Defy Advanced SL machine gets its final prep the day before Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Blanco team mechanics have glued on a little chunk of zip-tie to help this rider distinguish his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 buttons.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Subtle logos for Argos-Shimano team bikes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Argos-Shimano's Felt F-Series FRD frames are built with Swedish-made Textreme carbon fiber fabric, which imparts this unique look to the surface.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

25mm-wide Vittoria Pave Evo CG tubulars mounted to 35mm-deep Shimano Dura-Ace C35 carbon wheels for Argos-Shimano.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Clean internal cable routing for Argos-Shimano's Felt F-Series FRD machines.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Argos-Shimano's Felt F-Series FRD bikes roll up to the team area at the start of this year's Ronde van Vlaanderen.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

A few wraps of electrical tape provide some extra security for this Ag2R-La Mondiale rider's Bryton GPS computer.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

This plastic wire wrap is migthy popular with team mechanics using Campagnolo EPS and Shimano Di2.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

The top tube width changes dramatically on Ag2R-La Mondiale's Focus Izalco.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Ag2R-La Mondiale is another team that looks to be using custom stainless steel rear derailleur hangers on its Focus Izalco machines.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Not everyone at Ronde van Vlaanderen opted for a super cushy saddle to ease the sting of the cobbles. This discontinued fi'zi:k k:1 belongs to Davide Appollonio (Ag2R-La Mondiale).(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

Ag2R-La Mondiale switched bike sponsors from Kuota to Focus for 2013.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)

This article originally published on BikeRadar.

Pro bike: Fabian Cancellara's Radioshack-Leopard Trek Domane 6-Series

Pro bike: Tom Boonen's Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4 RVV

Pro bike: Peter Sagan's Cannondale Synapse Evo Hi-Mod

We've already shown you in-depth pro bike profiles from riders on this year's Ronde van Vlaanderen podium – Fabian Cancellara's (Radioshack-Leopard-Trek) Trek Domane 6-Series, Peter Sagan's (Cannondale Pro Cycling) custom Cannondale Synapse Evo Hi-Mod - plus the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL4 of pre-race favorite Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-QuickStep).

Now here's a look at some of the other bikes and gear that took to the start line in Brugge.