Merckx-style TT required standard road bike set ups for the riders
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The 54cm Diamondback Podium of Sepp Kuss.(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
Kuss uses the Pro Turnix saddle(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
The Arundel water bottle cages were removed at the last minute to save grams and increase aerodynamics.(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
The Diamondback Podiums of Rally Cycling feature several aero features, including internal cable routing, that are useful in Merckx style time trials. (Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
A tightly trimmed race number and K-Edge holder are nice details from the team’s mechanics.(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
A SRAM chain catcher makes sure the chain stays in place when shifting under power.(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
For the steep pitches of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Kuss’s Diamondback was equipped with a 32-tooth cassette.(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
The cockpit is comprised of 44 cm HED Grand Tour handlebars, 120 mm HED Grand Tour stem and SRAM RED DoubleTap shifters(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
Kuss delivers power to the rear via a SRAM RED crankset attached to a Quarq powermeter. (Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
The team uses SRAM RED WiFLi on all bikes throughout the season. The performance of the long cage derailleur is equal to standard versions and allows the mechanics to easily install larger cassettes.(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
Being an uphill time trial, Kuss stayed with his standard Speedplay Zero pedals rather than switching to the single-sided Zero Aero he uses on flatter time trials.(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
The team uses Kenda SC tubulars. For the stage three time trial Kuss used a HED Stinger 5 on the front and Stinger 3 on the back(Image credit: Courtesy of Rally Cycling)
Rally Cycling's 22-year-old climbing sensation Sepp Kuss finished second on the second stage of the Larry H.Miller Tour of Utah and earned the race lead behind BMC's Brent Bookwalter.
Kuss got to wear the yellow top for just one stage and then ceded the jersey to teammate Rob Britton, who won the 9km stage 3 uphill time trial by 13 seconds over Serghei Tvetcov (Jell Belly-Maxxis) and 26 seconds over Gavin Mannion (UnitedHealthcare).
Kuss finished 17th on the stage, 1:04 behind Britton, and dropped to 10th overall, but the Durango, Colorado, native is well-placed in the overall with two big GC days still to come on Saturday and Sunday.
Fr the stage 3 time trial, all riders were required to ride standard road bikes with no aero gear, so Kuss' Diamondback Podium was decked out as light as possible for the hill climb. Aside from helmets, wheels were the main choice riders had to work with, and Kuss opted for the HED Stinger 3 on the rear and the Stinger 5 on the front. Britton, on the other hand, rode Stinger 5s front and back.
Kuss' 54cm frame is equipped in SRAM Red 22 gruppo set up with an 11-25 cog. Kuss uses HED Grand Tour handlebars and a Pro Turnix saddle. Speedplay pedals connect Kuss to the drivetrain, and Kenda tires hook him up to the road.
Click or swipe throughout he gallery above to get a look at Kuss' bike.
Frame: Diamondback Podium (54 cm) Fork: Diamondback Headset: FSA Stem: Length 120 HED Grand Tour Handlebar: 44cm HED Grand Tour Tape: SRAM Front brake: SRAM RED 22 Rear brake: SRAM RED 22 Brake levers: SRAM Red Front derailleur: SRAM Red 22 Rear derailleur: SRAM Red 22 Shift levers: SRAM Red 22 Cassette: SRAM X-Glide 1190, 11-25 Chain: SRAM RED 22 Crankset: SRAM RED 22 Bottom Bracket: SRAM Pedals: Speedplay Zero Wheelset: HED Stinger 5 Wheel rear: HED Stinger 3 Front tyre: Kenda SC tubular Rear tyre: Kenda SC tubular Saddle: Pro Turnix Seatpost: HED Grand Tour Bottle cages: Arundel Carbon Computer: Lezyne Super GPS
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Critical measurements Rider's height: 1.8m Rider's weight: 62.1 kg Saddle height from BB: 73.1cm Tip of saddle to centre of bar: 51.6cm Total bicycle weight: 6.82kg
