When Domenico Pozzovivo signed his first pro contract nearly two decades ago, carbon was a new wonder-material in his Colnago bike, tires were glued to rims, brakes meant cork pads grasping rims, and shifting needed physical metal cables to work.
Fast forward to 2023 and the oldest rider in the Giro d’Italia is racing aboard a Factor Ostro Vam bike that, other than the two wheels and general double-diamond frame design, would be unrecognizable to his neo-pro self in 2005.
We took a closer look at the 40-year-old Israel–Pemier Tech rider’s aero race bike for the Giro d’Italia. It’s built with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, Black Inc. wheels and cockpit, an FSA crankset, and a Selle Italia saddle.
Domenico Pozzovivo’s Factor Ostro Vam is built with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, Black Inc. wheels and cockpit, an FSA crankset, and a Selle Italia saddle. (Photo: Zac Williams)For flat stages, the Italian rider is on 54/40T chainrings mounted to a Power2Max FSA power meter crankset. CeramicSpeed provides the oversized pulley wheels for the rear derailleur. (Photo: Zac Williams)The Ostro has a smooth transition from fork to downtube for optimal airflow. Other aero features include dropped seat stays and the integrated handlebar-stem combo. (Photo: Zac Williams)While Pozzovivo’s latest bike is very different from his first one as a pro, one piece of old-school tech has stuck around (and likely will for a long time): a sticker on the stem listing feed zones, intermediate sprints, and other important parts of the day’s stage. (Photo: Zac Williams)Shimano provides Israel – Premier Tech with 12-speed groupsets. (Photo: Zac Williams)Black Inc.’s integrated handlebar-stem makes for a tidy and aero front end. (Photo: Zac Williams)Black Inc. Sixty wheels are a good choice on sprint stages. (Photo: Zac Williams)
