Former 'cross world champion sticks to his tried-and-true at Paris-Roubaix
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Lars Boom (Rabobank) rode this Giant TCX Advanced SL to a sixth-place finish at this year's Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The press-fit bottom bracket on Lars Boom's (Rabobank) Giant TCX Advanced SL Paris-Roubaix allows for a wider down tube and seat tube and more widely set chain stays.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The rear pads on Lars Boom's (Rabobank) Giant TCX Advanced SL for Paris-Roubaix appeared to be softer than the ones up front.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Aluminum-bodied Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-SL pedals for Lars Boom (Rabobank) at Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
A standard Shimano Dura-Ace rear derailleur and 11-23T cassette are installed on Lars Boom's (Rabobank) Giant TCX Advanced SL for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Giant's team-only machined aluminum cantilevers have gained a built-in barrel adjuster since the last time we saw them.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lars Boom (Rabobank) says he selected the Giant TCX Advanced SL over the Defy Advanced SL because he could run bigger tires over the cobbles.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The rear brake cable is routed straight through the top tube.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lars Boom (Rabobank) runs his seatmast cap in the forward-offset position.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
All of Rabobank's riders were using 27mm-wide tubulars at Paris-Roubaix, save for Lars Boom who went with giant 30mm-rubber.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lars Boom (Rabobank) used different brake pads front to rear.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lars Boom (Rabobank) went with a mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace group for his run at Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Giant has these aluminum cantilever brakes machined just for the Rabobank team. Lars Boom has his set up rather upright.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Standard Tacx Tao aluminum cages for Lars Boom (Rabobank).(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lars Boom (Rabobank) used an all-aluminum cockpit on his Giant TCX Advanced SL at Paris-Roubaix. (Image credit: Jonny Irick)
175mm-long Shimano Dura-Ace crankarms with 53/44T chainrings for Rabobank rider Lars Boom.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lars Boom (Rabobank) does without a chain keeper on his Giant TCX Advanced SL for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
This simple front brake cable hanger adds minimal stack height.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lars Boom's (Rabobank) front hub shows the signs of several seasons of hard use. The plastic dust cover is broken on this side.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rabobank's tires weren't marked at Paris-Roubaix but the tread pattern looks similar to something Veloflex offers.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
This year's Paris-Roubaix saw little more than a few spritzes of rain on the course and yet at least two of the top-ten ran full-on 'cross frames instead of road bikes: second-place finisher Sebastien Turgot (Europcar) and Rabobank rider Lars Boom in sixth.
Boom has won cyclo-cross world championships in the Junior, U23 and Elite ranks and is obviously well-accustomed to riding such a beast. Mud wasn't an issue for this year's running but even so, Boom says he preferred the handling and feel of his Giant TCX Advanced SL on the cobbles over the Defy Advanced SL the rest of the team was riding – the same bike he rode at last year's Paris-Roubaix.
"It feels good so why should I change it?" he told Cyclingnews at the team hotel in Compiègne the day before the start.
Overall, the geometry of the two bikes is similar with identical head and seat tube angles and the same top tube lengths. The TCX chain stays are one centimeter longer, though, and the wheelbase is a substantial 3.5cm longer for extra stability. Giant doesn't publish bottom bracket drops on its web site but we know the TCX measures an unusually tall 55mm – the Defy is almost certainly significantly lower.
Boom says the other major factor in his decision was tire size. While the rest of the team was using 27mm-wide tubulars over the cobbles, Boom was running even bigger 30mm casings with tons of room to spare on account of the more generous frame and fork spacing and Giant's own team-only machined aluminum cantilever brakes.
Boom wouldn't disclose what air pressure he was running – "I'm not going to say!" he told Cyclingnews – but it was especially low even as compared to other bikes at Paris-Roubaix. We estimated approximately 4 bar (60psi) front and rear.
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Boom did, however, start on his Defy Advanced SL in Compiègne "to save some energy." Boom says he and the team chose a good location about 80km into the race to make the swap and he rode the TCX into the velodrome later in the day.
Build kit on both bikes was similar aside from the tires and brakes. As did nearly all of the Rabobank team, Boom switched to a mechanical Dura-Ace drivetrain instead of his usual electronic group and 35mm-deep Dura-Ace carbon wheels were the norm. Boom opted for an all-aluminum cockpit from team sponsor PRO and his saddle of choice was fi'zi:k's Antares k:ium.
Total weight for Boom's TCX Advanced SL was an impressive 7.49kg (16.51lb) without bottles.
Complete bike specifications:
Frame: Giant TCX Advanced SL, size L Fork: Giant TCX Advanced SL Headset: FSA Orbit ZS tapered, 1 1/8-to-1 1/4" Stem: PRO Vibe 7s, 115mm x -6° Handlebars: PRO Vibe 7s Anatomic, 42cm (c-c) Tape/grips: PRO Front brake: Giant custom cantilevers for Rabobank Rear brake: Giant custom cantilevers for Rabobank Brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control ST-7900 Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace FD-7900 Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace RD-7900 Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control ST-7900 Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-7900, 11-23T Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-7900 Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace FC-7900, 175mm, 53/44T Bottom bracket: Shimano Dura-Ace press-fit SM-FC7900P Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-SL PD-7810 Wheelset: Shimano Dura-Ace WH-7900-C35-TU Front tire: 30mm tubulars (Veloflex?) Rear tire: 30mm tubulars (Veloflex?) Saddle: fi'zi:k Antares k:ium Seat post: Giant TCX Advanced SL integrated Bottle cages: Tacx Tao (2) Computer: n/a
Critical measurements
Rider's height: 1.91 m (6' 3") Rider's weight: 75kg (170lb) Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 814mm Saddle setback: 92mm Seat tube length, c-t: 547mm Seat tube length, c-c: 537mm Tip of saddle nose to C of bars (next to stem): 605mm Saddle-to-bar drop (vertical): 140mm Head tube length: 175mm Top tube length: 575mm (horizontal) Total bicycle weight: 7.49kg (16.51lb)
