Bikes of Wiggins and Team Sky, Movistar, Astana, and more
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Guess who this Pinarello Bolide TT machine belongs to?(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
No matter how good it is, how fast it is or how well it fits, nothing is getting onto the starting ramp without the UCI signing off on it. Here, a bike is placed in a UCI jig to ensure compliance.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The top tube of Andrea Guardini's smaller Shiv frame rises up to meet the integrated bar. Note Gruzdev's flat set-up at left.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Specialized Sitero saddle on Dmitry Gruzdev's Shiv.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Astana's Specialized Shivs with Corima wheels and discs.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Andreas Schllinger uses camoflouged HED wheels.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
You say tri-spoke, Vision says 3-Spoke.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Most Argon 18 riders used Vision 3-Spokes up front and the Metron Discs — which are basically 80mm wheels with covers — in the rear.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The tri-spoke isn't a new design, but it's hard to beat in terms of aerodynamics.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Rompoot Oranje Peloton races Isaac. This is Ivar Silk's Muon.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Mads Petersen gets his aero road helmet cleaned off from the morning's road stage.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Some teams use K-Edge mounts. Others use electrical tape.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Team Cult's 80mm front wheels were on the deeper side of what was used at the De Panne time trial, with more riders opting for something around 50mm.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Two different versions of Schwalbe Ones adorn Team Cult wheels.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The old reliable DT Swiss provides hubs for the Black Disc wheels.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Most of Cult Energy had Black Disc wheels. A few sported Zipp models for the time trial.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Yes, it is.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Team Cult Energy raced Ridleys with Black Disc wheels. This was the only road machine we spotted with a disc.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
While Di2 routing offers gear shifting regardless of tight bends, it is not without its challenges.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
WorldTour teams like BMC, on the other hand, have their bikes largely homogenized and buttoned up.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
For team 3M, some riders had integrated Slice brakes, some had SRAM Red road calipers and two had Magura hydrualic rim brakes.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
This can't be comfortable.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
A blank DT Swiss disc sits among the Vision wheels.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Tape masks most of the Prologo saddle logos on the Selle Italia-sponsored team.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
3M's bikes were set up a little rougher than the WorldTeam machines.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Two 3M riders used Magura's hydraulic rim brakes. Note the uncut steerer tube on Van Der Weijst's Slice.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Continental team 3M arrived with a few different configurations of Cannondale Slice TT rigs, including this one for Geert Van Der Weijst.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Road helmets, aero road helmets and brand new TT lids still in the bag all wait at the ready for Trek Factory riders.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The DuoTrap does require a magnet on the wheel for measuring speed.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Trek's DuoTrap ANT sensor on the chainstay chain measure cadence and speed, and relay that data wirelessly to any head unit like a Garmin.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Trek's Speed Concept bars offer exceptionally low frontal profile, while Shimano Di2 means shifting isn't at all compromised. (Tight bends on internally routed mechanical cables often wreak havoc on shifting performance due to increased friction).(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Veloflex tubulars get a little more air for time-trial stages.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
For the flat TT, Rast probably never even used the 42t small ring.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Trek Factory Racing ran Aeolus wheels in the 50, 70 and even 90mm depths.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Along the De Panne time trial was less than 15km long, Gregory Rast has two spares on the roof of his follow car.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Not so long ago, you'd never find a 25mm-wide tubular in the pro peloton. Now they are fairly common, even in time trials.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
What's the big ring on your bike?(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
K-Edge has a relatively new chain guard that doubles as a magnet mount, meaning mechanics don't have to glue one onto the frame for use with an SRM power meter (SRM power meters use the magnet to measure cadence).(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Team edition tape finishes off the cowhorn bartape nicely.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
K-Edge provides the SRM Power Control 7 mount while grip tape provides low-bulk traction.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
And the first-generation Di2 battery is custom-mounted to the saddle rails.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Di2 junction box is zip-tied under the nose(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The matching, nose-padded Arione is slammed back, somewhat unusual for a TT bike, with Di2 bits dangling front and rear.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Luke Durbridge's Scott Plasma.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Hey, pros can get flats on their warm-up rides too, you know.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Movistar's Canyon Speedmax is well-paired with Campy's matching Bora Ultra wheels, Fizik saddles and even the SRM power meter spider.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Elia Viviani has his mud-shedding Speedplay Pave pedals on his road bike, along with the Stages power meter that Team Sky is using for the second year.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
It's not Paris-Roubaix yet, but the handmade tubulars from FMB are already in use.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Most riders at De Panne elected to use 50mm front wheels paired with a disc.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Wiggo's teammates are also on Pinarello Bolides, but with the stock team graphics.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The blue, red and gold are immediately apparent, but the subtle rainbow flag extensions symbolizing world titles are a nice touch(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
K-Edge provides the computer mount.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
No cheap name stickers here.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The rear-entry dropouts on the Bolide are scored for precision and grip.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Very few riders in the world require such monstrously large gearing.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
While many Team Sky riders use Shimano pedals, Wiggins and his teammate Viviani prefer Speedplay.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Sometimes the simple solutions are the best; electrical tape keeps the valve stem from rattling in the wheel.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
An integrated brake cover provides a clean presentation to the eye and the wind.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The stock Di2 TT shifters are wrapped with griptape for traction when Wiggins is holding onto the tips.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The custom bars include Di2 shift buttons on the cowhorns.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
While many riders are following the wider-is-better trend, Wiggins is holding the line with 23mm tubulars.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The handmade tubulars of FMB are popular this time of year.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Many riders and mechanics prefer grip tape to bulkier handlebar tape for TT bars(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Wiggins has a custom bar setup.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Fizik is supplying Team Sky with traction patches sewn onto the Antares saddles.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
When you rack up this many wins, you can have your own paint scheme.(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Three Days of De Panne finished with a double-stage on the third day: a road stage in the morning and a time trial in the afternoon(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
A few of the world's best joined a few second-tier teams in a battle against the clock for the final stage of Three Days of De Panne, a Belgian warm-up race ahead of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins stormed to the win aboard a custom-painted Pinarello Bolide.
With gold targets decorating the length of the top tube commemorating world-championship and Olympic wins, Wiggins' white Bolide cruised over a 14.8km course in De Panne, a coastal Belgian town near France.
The bike itself was not new, a Bolide frameset with the custom-fabricated carbon bars replete with custom Di2 buttons, Shimano Dura-Ace gear (with 56/44 chainrings) and PRO wheels, Stages power meter and an Antares saddle with a grip patch Fizik has stitched onto the nose for Team Sky riders.
A few days after the phenomenally windy Gent-Wevelgem that blew bikes and riders off the road, the De Panne time trial was still affected by gusts. But riders didn't alter their wheels choice much if at all.
Veteran BMC team mechanic Ian Sherburne said in all his years of working for pro teams, he's never seen a rider choose to go with a road bike instead of a time trial bike — no matter how windy it is. "Wheel choice will vary by rider — it's scaled by the size of the guy and their personal preference in relation to the wind and course — but I've never seen it so windy that a rider would ask for a road bike."
Most riders used a rear disc and a front wheel in the 50mm depth.
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For a detailed look at the time trial bikes and gear of teams from Team Sky to 3M, look through the gallery above.
