Complete with European stars across the frame(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
And the Italian Tricolore on the top tube(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
Combined, the theme celebrates both of Nizzolo's current championship titles(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
Nizzolo's name sits pride of place on the top tube(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
At 1.84m tall, he's on an aggressively small 51cm frame(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
The Euro theme continues to the Selle Italia SLR Boost Superflow saddle(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
The bike is designed for maximum aerodynamic efficiency(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
It is complete with deep-section Hunt wheels for further aero gains(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
Hunt's Team Issue 80mm tubulars are wrapped in Vittoria Corsa Speed tubs(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
BMC's proprietary ICS cockpit is designed to hide the cables from the wind(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
The Shimano Dura-Ace groupset provides the shifting and braking(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
While Rotor's carbon Aldhu cranks are paired with an InSpider power meter(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
CeramicSpeed's OSPW is said to be worth 'from 2.4 watts'(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
This is paired with a low-friction chain that claims to save between 2 and 5 watts(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
The teflon powder can be seen coated on the KMC chain(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
Like 18 of the 19 teams in the WorldTour, Qhubeka Assos will use disc brakes for the 2021 season(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
Just in case the paintwork wasn't enough, the name sticker confirms the bike's owner(Image credit: Damian Murphy)
Over recent years, when a rider wins a National, European, or World Championship title, it has become customary for the team and sponsors to celebrate by providing the rider with an array of custom kit. Beyond the relevant jersey that each titleholder is permitted to wear for the following season, sponsors will capitalise on the added exposure the rider will bring, providing limited, usually-colour-matching editions of components, clothing and accessories.
One rider with a strong case for wearing customised kit in 2021 is Giacomo Nizzolo, who currently holds both the Italian national and the European road race titles.
Following his storming week in August in which he won both in the space of four days, his receipt of custom componentry was almost immediate. He began the Tour de France three days later aboard an amended Timemachine Road, which was supplied by his team's bike sponsor BMC. The bike's design was subtle, but it met the brief. The black frame was given a classy Italian flag on the underside of the top tube, and a small selection of blue touches with yellow stars on the down tube and fork.
Fast forward to 2021, and as the season got underway, the Italian's bike was notably void of any colour at all. In fact, for Étoile de Bessèges and Paris-Nice, Nizzolo was aboard the same black frame as his teammates, with no Italian flags or European stars in sight.
However, on the eve of Milan San Remo, that all changed as Nizzolo and his Qhubeka Assos team lifted the veil on his new bike, complete with a paint scheme completely tailored to his current dual-title status.
With its white base coat, his European title is celebrated by the three shades of blue, dotted with yellow stars, which travels horizontally across the frame; a theme which also extends to his Selle Italia saddle. Meanwhile, his Italian title is celebrated with il Tricolore extending the full length of the top tube.
Judging by these images, Nizzolo is clearly one for maximising his setup to be as efficient as possible. The bike itself is the brand's aero road bike, complete with its deep-section tubes, integrated cabling and aerodynamically optimised bottle cages. New for 2021, the team is rolling on Hunt wheels, for which Nizzolo's bike is shod with the brand's 80mm deep Team Issue rims, which in turn, are wrapped in Vittoria's super-quick Corsa Speed tubular tyres. Team sponsor CeramicSpeed has supplied its OSPW oversized jockey wheel, and he's also using the same brand's UFO chain - a waxed chain that has been treated with PTFE powder.
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Paired with these on-bike watt savings, Nizzolo took to the start line of Milan San Remo wearing a pair of as-yet-unreleased aero socks from clothing sponsor, Assos, and a 'San Remo' edition aero helmet from Ekoi.
Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
