It's not all unicorns and rainbows as a world champion... or maybe it is?
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
Elisa Balsamo had already signed with Trek-Segafredo before she outsprinted Marianne Vos to win the 2021 Road World Championships. That victory on the streets of Leuven, Belgium in September, was proof of the Italian's talent that had been evident throughout the year, but she described it as "revenge" for what she saw as a disappointing season after returning from the Tokyo Olympics empty-handed.
Throughout the season, she will have a choice of four bikes. All courtesy of the team's title sponsor Trek, she will use the Madone aero bike, the Domane endurance bike, and the lightweight Emonda in road stages. The fourth - the new Speed Concept time trial bike - will be reserved for racing against the clock.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
The bike photographed here is the Trek Emonda SLR, shot at the team's recent training camp, complete with the day's training session taped to the top tube. Of course, the bike's main talking point is the stunning rainbow paint theme that celebrates the Italian's victory.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
The predominantly white base coat is joined by the blue-red-black-yellow-green stripes of the UCI on the fork and seat tube, with the large Trek logo on the down tube, and a more subtle team name on the top tube. However, look more closely and the white pops with reflective silver details that give it an icy appearance.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
Not unlike the Cannondale SuperSix Evo that used to win the World Championships, which featured a soft toy printed onto the top cap of the headset, the Emonda here features a few additions that make the bike personal to Balsamo - beyond the rainbow design, of course.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
The most notable of which is the '#UnicornPower' graphic that has been printed onto the inside of the drive-side chainstay, and the phrase "avante spingere" on the top tube, which translates to "push forward". Unicorns and rainbows do tend to go well together after all.
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(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
Balsamo's name sticker is also customised, with her first name being given the rainbow treatment too. Unfortunately, the aforementioned top cap has been left behind.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
Balsamo and her Trek-Segafredo teammates - both female and male - are using SRAM's Red eTap AXS wireless groupsets, and while chainring and cassette choice will undoubtedly depend on the day's terrain, the bike you see here has been fitted with a 52/39T chainset and a 10/33T cassette. Balsamo's cranks are 170mm in length, and power measurement comes courtesy of Quarq's integrated spider-based power meter.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
Data from that power meter will be sent to a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt computer, which is mounted to Bontrager's Aeolus RSL integrated bar-stem using a K-Edge Madone/Emonda out-front mount.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
Behind the stem, taped to the top tube beneath the 'Avanti Spingere' graphic, are instructions for a training session tailored for Balsamo, which is described as a 'technique session'.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
For the session, the bike was fitted with 51mm deep Bontrager Aeolus RSL tubeless wheels, shod with Pirelli P Zero Race TLR tyres. A Bontrager Verse Pro is the Italian's saddle of choice, while her Elite Fly bottle cages are held in place using Bontrager's XXX bottle cages.
(Image credit: Trek Segafredo)
Elisa Balsamo's Trek Emonda SLR: Full bike specifications
Frameset: Trek Émonda SLR
Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus RSL51
Thru-Axle: Bontrager DT Swiss, Bontrager Switch Thru-Axle and Lever
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.
