Dutch Pro-Continental team planned to race largely on disc brakes in 2016
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The 2016 Roompot team tested the SRAM HydroR brakes during training in Calpe(Image credit: oompot Oranje Peloton/Cor Vos)
Team Roompot is running SRAM disc brakes at the Eneco Tour but expect to see the likes of Shimano show off their wears as well(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A close up shot of the SRAM disc brakes Team Roompot are running at the Eneco Tour(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The 2016 Roompot Isaac bike equipped with SRAM HydroR disc brakes(Image credit: oompot Oranje Peloton/Cor Vos)
Team Roompot used SRam red disc brakes at the 2015 Eneco Tour(Image credit: Cyclingnews)
How new are disc brakes to the pro peloton? So new that mechnics haven't yet pulled off the safety stickers(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
With the UCI suspending the use of disc brakes in the professional peloton following the Paris-Roubaix crash in which Movistar’s Francisco Ventoso suffered a deep laceration to his lower left leg, Dutch team Roompot are frantically changing the braking system on its Issac Element SL bikes ahead of Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race.
The team first rode its SRAM disc brake equipped Issac bikes at last year’s Eneco Tour and has continued to do so in most of the race it has competed in 2016. However, with the UCI suspending the use of disc brakes, team manager Michael Zijlaard explained to Dutch broadcaster NOS “we immediately went to work” to ensure it is ready for Amstel Gold Race on Sunday.
"The whole organization is working at full speed. There are couriers whizzing around who are bringing us new frames and wheels. The racks must be adjusted on top of the cars too, all that stuff."
Zijlaard expressed his understanding with the UCI’s decision but added he was frustrated by the timing, which sees the team scrambling to make the changes ahead of Amstel Gold Race and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
In January, the team’s technical manager Henk Schipper explained the specifics of what was required for the team to make the switch from rim to disc brakes.
"We had to do a lot of work in a short time. A gradual transition to rim brake disc is not practical to do because you will end up with different bike frames and wheels. Also bicycle manufacturer Isaac has put everything in order to provide the customized Element SL frames in time," Schipper said. “On top of that, the storage systems in the team trucks and roof racks on the Peugeot team cars had to be adjusted. Thanks to a great effort from our partners involved it is all pretty successfully on time.”
While the Direct Energie and Lampre-Merida teams both rode disc equipped bikes across the cobbled classics, neither team have committed so much to the new braking method and so do not face the problems of Roompot.
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