Tour Down Under tech: A disappointing 16th place for the hyper-stiff aluminium rocket
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Sam Bennett raced the Schwalbe Classic on the alloy Sprint Allez Sprint Disc. How good does that Down Under Paint job look?(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
At the back, Bennett's bike has a Dura-Ace Di2 rear mech. The cable routing isn't optimized for electronic drivetrains, so the Di2 wire is zip-tied to the chainstay(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
There is no shortage of material around those welds(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Bennett's Allez Sprint Disc has Dura-Ace cranks complete with an integrated power meter. But we couldn't spot the frame-mounted magnet(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Deceuninck-QuickStep is using Tacx bottles and cages(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Bennett chooses a Specialized Power saddle(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
But he's using the one with the titanium rails(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
The Pro Vibe Sprint is a burly stem, and exactly what you expect to see on a crit bike(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Bennett's bars have a deeeeep drop(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Aerodynamics take precedent when the course is flat, so it's no surprise to see the Irish sprinter using the Roval CLX 64 hoops(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Even with the welds right at the head tube, the Allez Sprint isn't a bike that flexes laterally(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
The welds around the bottom bracket are also stout(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
QuickStep is using CeramicSpeed bottom brackets(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Bennett is running a 160mm disc at the front(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
and a 140mm rotor at the rear(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Just in case you've forgotten who this bike belongs to(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
The Allez Sprint frame doesn't provide many places to hide cables and the like, so the Quickstep mechanics have opted to mount the junction box under the stem(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
The Irish sprinter will be watching his watts in colour on the Wahoo ELEMNT Roam(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
The view from the driver's seat(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Bennett is pushing standard chainrings(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
and an 11-28T cassette(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
We are seeing more teams opt for some sort of direct mount derailleur hangar(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
A minimalist number plate holder that appears to be 3D printed(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
To prevent the rat's nest at the front of the bike, the QuickStep mechanics have shrink wrapped the cables(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
Tubeless valves require a nut to seal up the tyre(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
The tubes on the Allez sprint are heavily hydroformed(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
It's unlikely that Bennett shifted out of the big ring during the Schwalbe Classic, but a chain catcher makes for peace of mind and only adds a few grams(Image credit: Colin Levitch)
For 2020, Irish National Champion Sam Bennett has swapped from Bora-Hansgrohe to fellow Specialized-sponsored team Deceuninck-QuickStep. Although the stable of bikes available to the Irishman hasn't changed, his first outing for his new team was at the Schwalbe Classic criterium aboard an aluminium Specialized Allez Sprint Disc Down Under edition.
What's also notable about Bennett's crit ride is the fact that it's made from aluminium. The frame is produced using Specialized's D'Aluisio Smartweld Technology which sees the welds moved away from the joints to make the frame stiffer. The brand says it's the most rigid alloy bike it has ever tested — a claim Bennett agrees with: "I'm just blown away by how the bike felt. I thought 'okay, aluminium bike, budget bike', but getting on it, it felt equally as good as the Tarmac, it felt stiffer than the Tarmac."
When asked if that extra stiffness could increase fatigue on longer days, Bennett added: "Maybe in a Tour de France stage, but you're still riding a better bike than 60% of the peloton," before adding "I really want to win on the bike to prove a point."
Shod with a full Shimano Dura-Ace groupset, at the back, Bennett's bike sees a direct mount derailleur hanger and an 11-28t cassette. The Irish sprinter is pushing standard 53/39t chainrings, and his cranks feature Shimano's integrated power meter — although there was no magnet glued to the frame that we could see.
Bennett's rolling stock was the Roval CLX 64 aero wheelset, dressed with 26mm S-Works Turbo RapidAir tubeless tyres. Bennett was the only rider of the six aboard the Specialized Allez to opt for tubeless tyres.
The QuickStep rider's seating arrangements come in the form of a Specialized Power saddle, and he's opted for the 'Pro' spec with titanium rails instead of its carbon-railed S-Works cousin. At the front, a beefy 130mm Pro Vibe Stem doesn't sacrifice anything to flex, and the S-Works Aerofly bars have a deep drop to allow the Irish champ to maintain an aero sprinting position.
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With the deep wheels, beefy stem, alloy frame and discs, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Bennett's bike is anything but feathery, tipping our scales at 8.15kg — luckily it's only here to be raced around a pan flat criterium course, as Bennett will return to Specialized's carbon aero bike, the Venge, for Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under.
"The Venge is just such a quick bike, that you have to ride the Venge", Bennett added.
Click through the gallery above for a closer look at Sam Bennett's Down Under edition Specialized Allez Sprint Disc.
Sam Bennett's Down Under Specialized Allez Sprint full bike specifications
Based on the Gold Coast of Australia, Colin has written tech content for cycling publication for a decade. With hundreds of buyer's guides, reviews and how-tos published in Bike Radar, Cyclingnews, Bike Perfect and Cycling Weekly, as well as in numerous publications dedicated to his other passion, skiing.
Colin was a key contributor to Cyclingnews between 2019 and 2021, during which time he helped build the site's tech coverage from the ground up. Nowadays he works full-time as the news and content editor of Flow MTB magazine.
