Dan Martin starts in Corsica a Cervelo R5 specially decorated for the start of the 100th Tour de France(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The only deviation from the Dura Ace groupset is around the crank and bottom bracket: Spanish company Rotor provide the SRM crank and chainrings, and give the bike an edgy look. (Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Well-worn and wide-platformed Dura-Ace pedals take the load (Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The fi’zi:k Antares Braided saddle, like the pedals, show signs of wear: tried and tested contact points(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The workmanlike 3T finishing kit continues with a Doric Team seat post (Image credit: Sam Dansie)
A pristine, brand new 11-25 Dura-Ace cassette with which to start the Tour(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
With a cable tie, the mechanics make use of the mechanical gear lug to hold the electronic wiring(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The pro mechanic’s standard solution to adapt electronic gearing to non-specific frames: tape(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The Mavic Cosmic Carbone 80 CX01 wheels are shod with 25mm tyres, which the mechanic told us has better aerodynamic, rolling resistance, traction properties (Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The mechanic’s neat handiwork to hide cabling to the Rotor chain catcher sits alongside the frame’s vital statistics; note stack and reach measurements sitting alongside more traditional frame centimetre size(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Martin’s name was committed to the frame before it left the paint shop: that’s not a sticker.(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Fresh components for the 2013 are present throughout the bike, which is a paragon of pedigree and consistent component choices(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Shimano Dura-Ace 9070 levers are the latest generation of electronic hardware from the Japanese maker and shift across the entire block with one sustained depression(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Shimano Dura-Ace 9070 levers are the latest generation of electronic hardware from the Japanese maker and shift across the entire block with one sustained depression(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The 42cm 3T Rotundo Pro is about as traditional a bar as you’ll get: aluminium with a medium drop. (Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Garmin-Sharp had a number of models at their grand depart hotel, but many of them were special editions for the 100th Tour (Image credit: Sam Dansie)
On the top tube more decals denote a bike for an extra special Tour de France. (Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The new Dura Ace brakes have won plaudits for their extra braking power over previous generations(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
While big brands dominate componentry on the Cervelo, bottle cages come from Arundel, a small manufacturer from Texas(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp) has enjoyed a breakthrough season this year. Three prestigious wins – a stage and the overall in Tour of Catalonia, victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege – means that the 26-year-old climber has joined the firmament of the best cyclists in the peloton.
This year he started the 2013 Tour de France – only his second – as one of the Gamin-Sharp ‘chaos-makers’. Team manager Jonathan Vaughters believes the experienced squad, weighted towards climbers like Martin form “a group of guys that together can create chaos in the race.”
Martin’s principal bike will be the R5: a tried and tested, no nonsense frameset that’s light and stiff to serve him in the mountains and aerodynamic enough for use on the fast flat stages. To celebrate the 100th Tour, team bike sponsor Cervelo have painted up a limited edition frames for the race.
The blue argyle in the badge and yellow details in the frame and the flash of scarlet in the Fi’zi:k Antares Braided saddle might not be to everyone’s taste but it does make the bike stand out. Beneath the decals this bike has pedigree. The light and dark Shimano Dura-Ace 2014 11 speed groupset runs the length of the bike, only interrupted by the Rotor SRM cranks and chain rings.
Full Spec
Frame Cervelo R5, 54cm Fork Cervelo R5 Headset FSA Orbit IS-2 Headset Stem 3T ARX-Team Pro 140mm ±17˚ Handlebars 3T Rotundo Pro, 42cm (centre-to-centre) Tape/grips 3T Pro bar tape Front brake Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 Rear brake Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 Brake levers Shimano Dura-Ace ST 9070 Front derailleur Shimano Dura-Ace FD-9070 Rear derailleur Shimano Dura-Ace RD-9070 Shift levers Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control ST-9070 Cassette Shimano Dura-Ace CS-9000, 11-25T Chain Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000 Crankset SRM Wireless Rotor Flow, Aero Rings 53/39T Bottom bracket Rotor Press-fit 4630 Pedals Shimano Dura-Ace SPD PD-9000 Wheelset Mavic Cosmic CXR60T Front tyre Mavic Yksion CXR GripLink tubular, 25mm Rear tyre Mavic Yksion CXR GripLink tubular, 25mm Saddle Fi’zi:k Antares Braided Seat post 3T Doric Team Bottle cages Arundel Mandible (2) Computer Garmin Edge 510
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Sam started as a trainee reporter on daily newspapers in the UK before moving to South Africa where he contributed to national cycling magazine Ride for three years. After moving back to the UK he joined Procycling as a staff writer in November 2010.
