Wide tyres, satellite shifters, full suspension and Specialized domination
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Every Deceuninck-QuickStep rider had a hex key taped to their seat post ready to remove the thru-axles for a wheel change while they wait for a team mechanic to arrive(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Plenty of bikes were damaged during the race and were waiting to be collected from the broom wagon at the finish(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Deceuninck-QuickStep had a mix of 28 and 30mm S-Works Hell of the North tubular tyres for the race with a small sticker on the rim denoting the size(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Deceuninck-QuickStep riders opted for a prototype adjustment knob on the Future Shock front suspension system(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Each of the team's riders were ready for a wheel change in case of a puncture(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Yves Lampaert ran an in-line S-Works Pave seat post instead of the usual setback version(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The broom wagon collects any broken bikes and gives riders a lift back to the velodrome in Roubaix(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Several Katusha-Alpecin riders raced with 28mm Continental Competition RBX tubular tyres(Image credit: Josh Evans)
While Trek-Segafredo ran 1X setups with the new SRAM RED eTap AXS groupset, Katusha-Alpecin stuck with 2X setups(Image credit: Josh Evans)
28mm Vittoria Corsa Control tubulars for Vermote(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Edvald Boasson Hagen's bike was dropped minutes ahead of the race start and it needed another final check by team mechanics(Image credit: Josh Evans)
All seven of Deceuninck-QuickStep's riders raced on the new Specialized Roubaix(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Kasper Asgreen ran Pro Vibe Aero handlebars with satellite Di2 shifters on the handlebar drops(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Deceuninck-QuickStep's Zdenek Stybar went for double wrapped handlebar tape alongside the new Specialized Roubaix with Future Shock 2.0 (Image credit: Josh Evans)
Stybar's Roubaix was specced with the new, compliant S-Works Pave seat post(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Alexander Kristoff's Colnago Concept for Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Josh Evans)
UAE Team Emirates are racing 2019 with Campagnolo Super Record 12-speed EPS groupsets(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Kristoff ran tubeless tyres at the race but suffered a few punctures in the race(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Kristoff opted for 60mm rims for the Hell of the North(Image credit: Josh Evans)
UAE Team Emirates mechanics had an air compressor with a pressure gauge attached to the team bus enabling quick and easy tyre pressure checks at the race start(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Kristoff talked about changing his bike positioning slightly for the race to shift weight further back on the bike(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Kristoff runs a Prologo Zero saddle(Image credit: Josh Evans)
UAE Team Emirates are another squad to utilise Elite Ciussi bottle cages(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Double-wrapped Prologo handlebar tape for Alexander Kristoff(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Aero handlebars and a negative 17-degree stem for this Delko Marseille Provence rider(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Delko Marseille Provence run SRAM RED eTap 11-speed drivetrains(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Bahrain-Merida's Heinrich Haussler looked to run doublw-wrapped bar tape and sprint shifters on the handlebar drops(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Matej Mohoric had a custom-painted Merida Reacto for the Tour of Flanders celebrating his Slovenian national championship title but was on a team issue Scultura for Roubaix(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Some teams go to the effort to print special course information stickers while other opt for some tape and a marker pen(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Fernando Gaviria was set to race on the newly released Campagnolo WTO 45 wheels until sickness ended his race before it had started(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Van Aert's crankset and derailleurs were the more recent Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 series(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 series levers look surprisingly dated for a component that was used universally in the WorldTour only a few seasons ago(Image credit: Josh Evans)
A look at Wout van Aert's cockpit(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Bora-hansgrohe's Andreas Schillinger was the only Specialized-sponsored rider to not be racing on the new Specialized Venge(Image credit: Josh Evans)
No mistaking who this bike belongs to(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Everything from 25mm up to 30mm tyres were seen on the start line in Compiegne(Image credit: Josh Evans)
With 29 secteurs and two feed zones, there is plenty of notes riders need to pay attention to(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Roompot Charles' Lars Boom ran an in-line alloy seat post from French brand BBB(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Boom also runs a Specialized S-Works Power saddle(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The Pro Continental Roompot Charles use a mix of Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra components(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Like AG2R La Mondiale, Roompot Charles use CeramicSpeed OSPW system on the rear derailleurs(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Bahrain-Merida riders raced on a mix of Merida Reacto and Scultura framesets(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Oliver Naesen runs a negative 17-degree stem(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Naesen also runs a 30mm tubular at the front of his bike and a 28mm on the rear(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Oliver Naesen's 28mm tubular on the back of his Eddy Merckx machine. He runs a massive 30mm up front(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Double-wrapped handlebar tape is always difficult to finish off perfectly(Image credit: Josh Evans)
AG2R La Mondiale spare bikes have Shimano Ultegra Di2 rear derailleurs equipped with CeramicSpeed's OSPW system(Image credit: Josh Evans)
K-Edge components were seen as computer mounts, chain catchers, GoPro mounts and number plate holders at the race(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Wout van Aert's second choice Bianchi Infinito(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Van Aert raced on a Bianchi Infinito instead of the usual Bianchi Oltre XR4 Jumbo Visma usually race on(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Former cyclo-cross world champion Wout van Aert ran an additional brake lever on the handlebar tops so he can brake while on the handlebar tops(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The majority of Van Aert's components were several year old Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 series(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Van Aert appeared to be racing without a power meter(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Former Swiss national champion Silvain Dilier and last year's second place finisger has a red computer mount and sunglasses retained from last year's custom bike and kit(Image credit: Josh Evans)
AG2R La Mondiale mechanics add course notes to their riders' frames at the race start(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Mitchelton-Scott's Matteo Trentin has Di2 shifter buttons all over his cockpit setup(Image credit: Josh Evans)
John Degenkolb had Di2 sprint shifters on the drops and SRAM Blips on the handlebar tops, alongside a photo of his family on his stem(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The entire Trek-Segafredo team ran their Trek Domane bikes with 1X drivetrain setups from SRAM(Image credit: Josh Evans)
K-Edge provides a specially milled chain catcher for the new groupset in its 1X setup(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Edward Theuns had SRAM Blip buttons on his drops, which were concealed underneath the handlebar tape(Image credit: Josh Evans)
A closer look at the adjustable K-Edge chain catcher used by Trek-Segefredo(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Pim Ligthart was the only Total Direct Energie rider to race on a Wilier in the new team colours(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Tyres are double and triple checked ahead of the race start for the correct tyre pressure(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Koen de Kort ran Shimano Di2 sprint shifters in conjunction with his new SRAM RED eTap AXS groupset(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Arnaud Demare runs Elite Ciussi cages in an eye-catching chrome finish(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Demare is another rider with satellite shifters, this time in his thumb position when riding on the handlebar tops(Image credit: Josh Evans)
This Groupama-FDJ mechanic wins the award for the neatest double-wrapped handlebars(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Almost every team uses K-Edge components(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Wanty-Gobert are one of the few remaining professional teams to use Stages power meters(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Team Sunweb were another squad to opt for Elite Ciussi bottle cages(Image credit: Josh Evans)
CCC Team's Michael Schar was the only rider to race on a Giant TCR over the more compliant Giant Defy(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Greg Van Avermaet opted for the more compliant Giant Defy in his usual Olympic champion edition frameset(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Andre Greipel's BH G7 Pro(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Greipel's Vittoria tubulars had clearly seen some use before the start in Compiegne(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Greipel ran a 54-tooth outer chainring for the flat Paris-Roubaix course(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Sep Vanmarcke ran 30mm tyres for the race(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Cofidis' Damien Touze focuses on the length of each secteur on his course notes(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The majority of the Cofidis team used 28mm Michelin tyres(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Tiesj Benoot and most of the Lotto Soudal squad raced on the endurance-specific Ridley Fenix(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Benoot ran the graphene infused tubulars from Vittoria(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Only Jens Keukeleire from Lotto Soudal raced on a Ridley Noah SL instead of a Fenix(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Lotto Soudal use bottom bracket bearings from ceramic bearings specialist C-Bear(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The whole of Team Sunweb raced on Cervelo R3 Disc framesets(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Roelandts used 28mm Continental Competition tubular tyres(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Team Sky's Luke Rowe raced on the new Pinarello FS, which features front and rear electronic suspension(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Luke Rowe opted for 27mm FMB Paris-Roubaix tubulars(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Rowe is another rider who rides the cobbles on the drops and has satellite sprint shifters on the drops(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Team Sky opt for the ever-reliable Elite Ciussi bottle cages(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Several riders' bikes were equipped with GoPro for in-race footage(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Several Astana riders used Argon 18 Gallium with a more compliant rear end(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Hugo Houle raced aboard the new Argon 18 Krypton(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The Argon 18 Krypton follows other endurance bike trends with lower seat stays to offer compliance(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The UCI commissaires perform their checks for technological fraud ahead of the race start(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The seat stays were bigger and curved unlike the slim and straight profiled stays on the usual Gallium Pro(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The concrete banking at the Roubaix velodrome got a fresh lick of paint in the days leading up to the race(Image credit: Josh Evans)
A look inside the famous showers at Roubaix's velodrome(Image credit: Josh Evans)
Each winner of the historic race gets given a plaque and bench (Image credit: Josh Evans)
The showers haven't been updated in decades but we were told that there's now enough hot water for more than the first twenty riders who choose to use the showers(Image credit: Josh Evans)
The race support motorbikes had two front wheels to cope with the rough cobbles(Image credit: Josh Evans)
'The Hell of the North' features 29 infamous cobbled sections totalling 54.5 kilometres, with those pavé sectors dating back to Napoleonic times, and acting as some of the most brutal terrain in the sport. Riders make an array of changes when it comes to tech compared to normal road racing, offering a unique take on race tech at one of the hardest races on the calendar.
Wider tyres, double-wrapped handlebar tape, malleable bottle cages and additional brake levers or gear switches are common modifications to give riders the best chance possible of staying in the lead group to the finish line at the famous velodrome in Roubaix.
Alongside the traditional modifications, the week leading up to the race saw two full suspension road bikes released by Specialized and Pinarello in the Roubaix and Dogma FS, respectively. While the new Pinarello failed to crack the top 20, Specialized's new Roubaix made up a staggering five of the top ten.
The new Specialized Roubaix has a claimed tyre clearance of up to 33mm and the brand's sponsored teams – Deceuninck-QuickStep and Bora-Hansgrohe – raced on a range of 28 and 30mm Specialized Hell of the North tubular tyres.
Like Specialized, Deceuninck-QuickStep mechanics had another new idea by taping a hex key to every rider's seat post designed specifically for the thru-axles on the disc-brake-only bike. The idea is that while the rider waits for the mechanic to arrive with a new wheel, the rider can take the thru-axle out ready to switch in the new wheel and allow for the quickest possible wheel change.
Plenty of other teams opted for wide tyres, and AG2R La Mondiale's Oliver Naesen opted for a 30mm tubular on the front wheel and 28mm on the rear, as opposed to the 26mm front, 28mm rear setup the former Belgian champion used at last week's Tour of Flanders.
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The rough roads also mean that regular carbon bottle cages often fail to the vibrations of the road and riders can lose bidons and valuable fuel while racing. Several teams combat this through the adoption of the old but reliable Elite Ciussi bottle cages, which can be bent closer to the frame and keep their bidons secure.
Trek-Segafredo and Katusha-Alpecin have been racing the 2019 season on the new SRAM RED eTap AXS 12-speed groupset. Trek-Segafredo have experimented with 1X drivetrain setups, which the new groupset accommodates, but, following a mechanical for John Degenkolb at Milan-San Remo, the team has overwhelmingly stuck with 2X.
For Paris-Roubaix, however, the team went all-in on 1X drivetrain setups on the Trek Domane framesets, with riders using a cocktail of SRAM's Blip satellite shifter buttons and adopting some of Shimano's satellite Di2 shifter buttons.
Click through the extensive gallery above for a closer look at the tech on show at the 117th edition of Paris-Roubaix.
