Alberto Bettiol puts an Italian spin on Cannondale's 'Super Slice'
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Cannondale-Drapac's Alberto Bettiol is remarkable in his use of mechanical disc brakes on a Tour de France time triai bike(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
56t on the SuperSlice(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Mechanics don't skimp on grease for Bettiol's thru-axles(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Ceramic Speed bearings are commonplace in the pro peloton for drag reduction(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Bettiol probably won't need to bolt on a triathlon-style Bento box for a 14km time trial(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Shimano's Di2 junction box zip-tied in place(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Shimano Di2 has been a blessing for time trial bikes, offering easy, friction-free shifting from both the cowhorns and the extensions(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Bettiol uses a mix of 3T hardware and Garmin's rubber bands to mount his computer(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Many pro mechanics have at least one if not two points of reference marked on riders' saddles for fit measurements(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Cannondale mechanics take care to mark saddle and seatpost adjustments for quick visual checks that everything is where it needs to be(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Although not as extreme as Tony Martin's grip tape, Fizik offers traction patches on its Ares TT saddle(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Super Slice!(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Bettiol's disc-disc bike isn't light(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Cannondale riders gave up hiding their use of SRM power meters, but a few still use Garmin Vector pedals without the pods (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Bettiol's teammate Taylor Phinney is racing a standard rim-brake Slice for the time trial, but with the same Mavic disc-brake disc wheel(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Cannondale uses TRP Spyre calipers front and rear(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Mavic's deep Comete Pro Carbon SL Disc wheel (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Hydraulic calipers are state of the art for road and mountain bikes, but Shimano doesn't yet make a hydraulic TT lever, so Cannondale uses mechanical(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Bettiol probably won't be drinking much in a 14km time trial(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Alberto Bettiol didn't win the opening time trial of the Tour de France, but he made history as the first rider to race a Tour time trial on disc brakes with his Cannondale Super Slice.
Bettiol's Cannondale-Drapac squad debuted the Super Slice in professional racing at Tirreno-Adriatico earlier this year.
While hydraulic systems are the standard for top-end disc braking for road and mountain bikes, Cannondale's Super Slice bikes use mechanical discs. The reason is fairly straightforward, Cannondale mechanics say: Shimano does not yet make a hydraulic lever for TT bikes.
Bettiol was the only Cannondale rider on the disc-equipped Super Slice; the rest of his teammates were on the lighter rim-brake Slice models, Cannondale mechanics said.
Curiously, some of those racing Slice bikes have Mavic disc rim-brake wheels with disc-brake hubs. Mavic supplied the team with rim-brake and disc-brake wheels, including a few clincher wheels (instead of the traditional tubulars), because Mavic has a new prototype clincher tire that is claims to be fast and grippy.
While the extra weight of the mechanical disc set-up won't help Bettiol in the Tour de France stage 1 time trial, he does have something going for him: A sticker of a little pizza slice wearing a heroic red cape hides on the back of his Super Slice fork. (Get it?)
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Click through the gallery above for a closer look at Bettiol's Super Slice
