Vincenzo Nibali's Cannondale Slice RS(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Liquigas runs Mavic wheels and rubber, the latter of which is front- and rear-specific. On his Slice RS, Nibali runs a Yksion GripLink tubular on the front Cosmic Carbone 80, and a Yksion PowerLink on the Comete disc(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
A channel inside the down tube facing the wheel allows for better air flow, according to Cannondale(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
This is a more expensive sticker than you would think. All manufacturers must submit new frame designs to the UCI for approval - and pay for the UCI to process their request for race approval(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Slice RS seatpost is substantially less bulky than the original Slice post(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Many Fi'zi:k-sponsored riders go with the Ares TT saddle, as it's just 240mm long(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
SRAM Green Red: Although not 2012 Red, the Liquigas rider gets Red with a touch of green. Also note the rear-facing dropouts(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
A SRAM Force derailleur with a chain catcher. SRAM 2012 Red now comes with an integrated catcher, but the derailleur is not officially compatible with Cannondale rings, so some teams opt to stick with older models(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
More than meets the eye: Here, a SRAM Force derailleur is marked SRAM Red, a steel spindle is used to add 400g to meet the UCI minimum weight limit, and the SRM power meter records and relays Nibali's world class wattage to the computer on his handlebars(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Cannondale tucks the same brake underneath the bottom bracket for the rear wheel(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The horizontal-pull caliper is like a small version of an old school mountain bike V-brake(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Cannondale's proprietary V-brake on the Slice RS(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Nibali runs whisper-thin SRAM brake levers and no traditional handlebar tape for a svelte front end(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The absence of a front-mounted brake makes for a clean presentation to the wind and the eye(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Nibali offers for skateboard-style grip tape over handlebar tape, with return-to-center SRAM levers set in the down position to meet UCI extension rules(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Two bolts secure the hood, underneath which all cabling runs down into the frame(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
To the wind and to the eye, the stem and the top tube are one contiguous piece(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Compared to the old Slice with a standard fork, the Slice RS has an integrated fork/head tube/stem conjunction(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Speedplay Zeros, in team green, of course(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Liquigas-Cannondale's Vincenzo Nibali won the 2010 Vuelta a España and placed third in this year's Tour de France, thanks in no small part to his ability against the clock. Last year Cannondale put Nibali on a prototype Slice RS; for this season, Nibali and the rest of his squad have stock 2013 Slice RS machines for efforts against the clock.
The new-for-2013 Slice RS get a complete overhaul from the currently available 2012 Slice. Departing from a standard fork, head tube and stem configuration to a sleek integrated front end, the bike also features proprietary horizontal-pull brakes that are tucked behind the fork and under the seat stays.
Cannondale’s 2012 Slice models — Carbon 4 Force and Carbon 5 105 — come with traditional road calipers mounted on the front of the fork and on the seat-stay bridge.
Nibali first rode a prototype of the Slice RS at the final Giro d'Italia time trial in Milan last year. BikeRadar's technical editor James Huang spotted his teammate Basso on the Slice RS at last year's USA Pro Challenge.
There are a few notable modifications to Nibali's bike. The first is the component group. Instead of the new SRAM 2012 Red, Nibali has an older SRAM Red group, plus a SRAM Force front derailleur marked SRAM Red. Although SRAM later added a steel cage to its Red group (and then substantially beefed up the cage for the 2012 edition), the original Red front derailleur featured a titanium cage, which some riders found too flexy. So, some teams opted to run a Force cage branded Red.
Now, the 2012 Red front derailleur is not officially compatible with non-SRAM cranks, so some teams that use non-SRAM cranks are choosing to keep older Red on the bikes for flexibility. Nibali has a 54-tooth SRAM ring on his bike here, but SRAM says Cannondale's normal rings are not compatible with 2012 Red.
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"The reason is we haven’t had the chain rings to go with Cannondale’s proprietary crank," said SRAM's Michael Zellmann. "The same thing applies for some Specialized bikes with Specialized cranks. A lot of the bikes have the original SRAM Black Red."
Another modification is the use of grip tape on the aero bars, on the tops of the extensions and on the tops of the horns. This allows for grip without any drag (or cushioning).
Another UCI rule — one that defines the bike's length — comes in to play with how Nibali sets up his shifters. Using SRAM return-to-center shifters, Nibali sets the neutral position pointed down, to save a few centimeters off the measured length of the bike.
SRAM's RTC shifters set down, plus grip tape on the extensions
For wheels, Liquigas-Cannondale slides a Mavic Comete disc into the bike's horizontal dropouts, and puts a Cosmic Carbone 80 up front. Interestingly, the new Mavic CXR 80 carbon wheel is more aero than the Cosmic Carbone 80, according to Mavic.
"The rim profile, tire, and CX 01 blade give CXR 80 much better aerodynamics, especially at a higher yaw (crosswind)," said Zack Vestal, Mavic USA's communications manager. "Even with the blade removed, the CXR is still faster. The CXR wheels are also lighter by about 150g. The original CC 80 are probably in service here and there due to durability, narrower profile (brake compatibility), and the basic limitations of team supply (getting enough wheels out to teams with the right timing)."
Frame: Cannondale Slice RS, 56cm Fork: Cannondale Slice RS Stem: Cannondale System Integration Handlebar: Vision TriMax Carbon Si CSI, 41cm Front brake: Cannondale Naero-Tec Rear brake: Cannondale Naero-Tec Brake levers: SRAM 900 TT Front derailleur: SRAM Force/Red Rear derailleur: SRAM Red Shifters: SRAM RTC Aero Shifters Cassette: SRAM 1090, 11-23 Chain: SRAM Red Chain rings: SRAM Red Black TT 54/42 Crankset: Cannondale Hollowgram SL, 172.5mm Power Meter: SRM Computer: Power Control 7 (not shown) Bottom bracket: Custom machined steel Pedals: Speedplay Zero with custom colors Wheelset: Mavic Comete disc with Cosmic Carbone 80 front Front tire: Mavic Yksion GripLink, 23mm Rear tire: Mavic Yksion PowerLink, 23mm Saddle: Fi;zi:k Ares
