A sneak peek at what riders will be racing at Paris-Roubaix
Image 1 of 41
Rabobank riders will mostly use Giant's new Defy Advanced SL frames at Paris-Roubaix for their softer ride, more stable handling, and greater tire clearance relative to their usual TCR Advanced SL machines. Team leader Lars Boom, however, will again use his TCX Advanced SL 'cross bike.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
A stack of 27mm-wide tubular tires await gluing the day before Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
11-speed Campagnolo 11-25T cassettes on Movistar's Pinarello Dogma K bikes for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
More Elite Ciussi aluminum bottle cages, this time on the Movistar team bikes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Movistar's Campagnolo Record EPS batteries are neatly mounted atop the down tube, just above the bottom bracket.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
This Movistar Pinarello Dogma K features double-wrapped bars to help ease the sting of the cobbles.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Neatly executed Campagnolo Record EPS wire and cable routing on this Lotto-Belisol Ridley Helium for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Campagnolo Record EPS components for Lotto-Belisol at Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lotto-Belisol rider names are printed on the underside of the down tube, up near the head tube. This location makes for easier identification of team bikes when mounted atop the team car.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lotto-Belisol will use Ridley Helium frames for Paris-Roubaix instead of their more aerodynamic - but much rougher riding - Noah chassis.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Movistar's Pinarello Dogma K bikes for Paris-Roubaix are built with SRM cranks and Campagnolo Record EPS groups. Note the chain catcher tucked away behind the front derailleur, too.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Onda K fork on Movistar's Pinarello Dogma K bikes for Paris-Roubaix are built with an 1 1/8-to-1 1/4" tapered steerer instead of the Dogma 2's 1 1/8-to-1 1/2" dimension to help soften the ride.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rabobank's new Giant Defy Advanced SL bikes feature stout 1 1/4-to-1 1/2" tapered front ends.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rabobank's Giant Defy Advanced SL frames are built with carbon fiber dropouts. Paris-Roubaix's flat parcours means cassettes with cogs no bigger than 23 or 25 teeth are the norm.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Six bars (87psi) of pressure for this rider from team Movistar.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The fine tread on Movistar's Continental Competition tubulars lend a bit more grip on slick, dust-covered cobbles.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Campagnolo Record EPS for the riders of team Movistar. Note the perfectly applied double-wrapped bar tape, too.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Tidy cable and wire routing on the Campagnolo Record EPS-equipped Pinarello Dogma K bikes of the Movistar team.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Movistar riders prepare for a recon ride pre-Paris-Roubaix aboard their Pinarello Dogma K machines.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lotto-Belisol's Ridley Helium frames for Paris-Roubaix are paired with straight-bladed forks instead of the standard consumer version, which uses curved blades. Rake is likely increased relative to the standard model and there looked to be a touch more tire clearance, too.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Lotto-Belisol apparently doesn't plan to use these Ridley Helium framesets after this season - they're actually labeled '2012' in Roman numerals on the top tube.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Tight-ratio Campagnolo Record cassettes for Lotto-Belisol.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
GreenEdge mechanics wrap the riders' SRM Power Control 7 head units with some electrical tape to keep them from bouncing off over the cobbles.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Veloflex Arenberg tubular tires for team Astana.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
…but they're clearly Ambrosio Nemesis hoops. Corima doesn't offer similar rims and given the unique demands of Paris-Roubaix, sponsors are often willing to look the other way.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Likewise, giant Corima decals are applied to Astana's traditional box-section aluminum rims…(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rotor chain catchers are installed on the Astana team bikes for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Astana team mechanics applied big Corima labels to the riders' Shimano 105 hubs to disguise their true identities.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Astana wheel sponsor Corima doesn't make traditional high-end road hubs so the team has to look elsewhere, building up its Paris-Roubaix wheels around Shimano 105 hubs.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Astana team will mostly use Specialized's S-Works Roubaix SL3 bikes for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Stuart O'Grady and the rest of the GreenEdge team will ride Scott CR1s for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Double wrapped bars on this Katusha team-issue Canyon Ultimate AL for Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Katusha's fat tubular tires for Paris-Roubaix are labeled with Mavic hot stamps but given the company doesn't currently produce tubulars, we're not entirely sure what these are.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Paris-Roubaix is just about the only place we regularly see tied-and-soldered wheels on the pro road circuit.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The bladed stainless steel spokes on Katusha's traditional wheels for Paris-Roubaix are tied and soldered. Spoke head washers help secure the spokes in the hub flanges to prevent excess movement.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Canyon VCLS seatposts on Katusha's Ultimate AL frames for Paris-Roubaix are built with a mix of carbon and basalt fibers for extra flex over the cobbles.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Custom chain keepers on Katusha team bikes mount in between the frame and bottle cage.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Katusha will ride Canyon's Ultimate AL frames for Paris-Roubaix. This particular one is actually last year's model, too.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Canyon's OneOneFour carbon fork on Katusha's Paris-Roubaix team bikes feature a 1 1/4-to-1 1/2" tapered steerer.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Elite Ciussi cages provide a more secure hold on the bottles for Katusha over the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Tight-ratio 11-23T SRAM PG-1070 cassettes on the Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL3 machines of Astana.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
On the eve of Paris-Roubaix it's typical for teams and riders to arrive in the start city of Compiègne, France. They’re generally there one day prior to settle in and do their final recon rides. Cyclingnews headed out to a few team hotels with hopes of an advance look at what some of them will be riding.
We found few surprises in terms of equipment for Paris-Roubaix. Essentially teams have the same basic formulas are in place that we've noted in prior years here. And it seems most of this year’s new equipment was unveiled in advance, with the launch of three new cobble specific bikes earlier in the week: BMC’s GranFondo GF01, Specialized’s Roubaix SL4, and Trek’s Domane.
And, across the board, even among teams without newly launched bikes, riders gravitate toward softer-riding and more stable options from their team frame suppliers: the Ridley Helium instead of the Noah for Lotto-Belisol; the Scott CR1 instead of the Foil for GreenEdge; the Giant Defy Advanced SL instead of the TCR Advanced SL for Rabobank; and the Pinarello Dogma K in lieu of the Dogma 2 for the Movistar crew.
Big tubular tires inflated to modest pressures are the norm as well, with typical sizes up to 27mm across and pressures as low as four or five bar (58-73psi). Historically, those tires have been wrapped around traditional box-section aluminum tubular wheels almost without fail, but with recent advances in carbon fiber wheel construction the numbers are shifting dramatically.
Still, though, many teams that continue to stick with tradition find themselves having to search outside of their usual wheel suppliers in order to get what they need. Ambrosio Nemesis and Mavic Reflex tubular rims continue to dominate the numbers among the traditionalists — as usual — but they're oftentimes not labeled as such.
Hopefully you're not working on the holiday weekend, but luckily our tech editor is—it's Paris-Roubaix eve after all.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
