Retiring Italian gets unique paint scheme for his final race
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Vincenzo Nibali's final pro bike – the Wilier Zero SLR(Image credit: Wilier/Astana Qazaqstan)
The shark will race for a final time at Il Lombardia(Image credit: Wilier/Astana Qazaqstan)
Yellow paint to commemorate his 2014 Tour de France triumph(Image credit: Wilier/Astana Qazaqstan)
The frame also nods to his two Italian titles(Image credit: Wilier/Astana Qazaqstan)
And paint on the forks recognise his Giro and Vuelta successes(Image credit: Wilier/Astana Qazaqstan)
Saturday's Il Lombardia marks the end of the career of two of the most accomplished riders in recent cycling history as Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Qazaqstan) hang up their wheels.
The pair have received plaudits and honours at ceremonies throughout the season and for Nibali there's one last gift as he prepares to bow out at the Monument he won in 2015 and 2017.
Astana Qazaqstan have unveiled a special edition Wilier Zero SLR bike that Nibali will ride for the final 253km of his 18-year career.
The bike is Wilier's top race offering along with their aero Filante SLR, built to be lightweight and suited to the steep climbs of Lombardia. Nibali's bike, based around a sparkling dark blue paint scheme, features several nods to him and his storied racing career.
Sections of the bike are painted to commemorate his five Grand Tour victories, with a yellow seatpost and seat tube to represent his 2014 Tour de France win, and pink and red paint on the forks for his 2010 Vuelta a España and 2013 and 2016 Giro d'Italia wins.
Stars have also been added to show how many days he led each race on the way to becoming only the seventh man in history to win all three Grand Tours.
A small Italian flag strip on the seat tube salutes Nibali's two Italian national titles in 2014 and 2015, too, while a stylised shark graphic on the top tube is a nod to his famous nickname – Lo Squalo.
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Of course, away from the paintjob and the detailing, there's top-end componentry all round. To start with, there's the Zero SLR lightweight frame, which weighs in at 6.5kg and includes the integrated Zero handlebar.
The drivetrain comes from Shimano, with the top-of-the-line Dura-Ace groupset – disc brake, of course – as well as the Ceramicspeed oversized pulley wheel system at the rear derailleur. Wheels come courtesy of team sponsor Corima, with their unique-looking carbon climbing wheel, the MCC 47 – "designed for ultimate performance on hilly courses" -–which is again handy for a race like Il Lombardia.
Nibali will take on the race sat upon his usual Prologo Scratch M5 saddle. Will the bike deliver the 37-year-old to one last moment of glory – and a 53rd pro victory – on Saturday afternoon? We'll have to wait and find out.
🤩 WOW! That’s something special!A huge surprise to @vincenzonibali from @WilierTriestina ahead of his last race:An Excusive 0 SLR bike!Vincenzo Nibali will ride it tomorrow at @Il_Lombardia!#LoveMyWilier #RaiseTheBar #Wilier0SLR #AstanaQazaqstanTeam #iLombardia pic.twitter.com/zwuuZkxfxsOctober 7, 2022
Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, joining in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.
Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel. Their favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.
