Let me start this gallery with an apology: I initially screwed up in my Paris-Roubaix podium-bike package, saying that second-place Florian Vermeersch was on a Ridley Fenix. Looking at photos, I thought this was the case because of the towering head tube on the bike. Thibaut Norga of Ridley kindly emailed me to say, no, Vermeersch was actually on the Noah Fast Disc. Doh!
So, let me set the record straight with this gallery, with photos provided by Norga.
As with Paris-Roubaix winner Sonny Colbrelli and Paris-Roubaix Femmes winner Lizzie Deignan, Vermeersch was on tubeless tires.
“Five of the seven riders of Lotto-Soudal opted for tubeless,” Norga said. “They rode 28mm [Vittoria] Corsa tires. Florian’s set-up is pretty generic though. Because he’s 1.93m (6’4″), he’s one of the only ones who ride a Large.”
Also included in this gallery are photos of the custom-painted bike of Vermeersch’s teammate and 2015 Paris-Roubaix winner John Degenkolb. Perhaps if Vermeersch continues to perform so well, so he’ll have a custom bike, too.
Ridley created the first Noah in 2006. “It grew in 2009 to a aero bike, and in 2018 we launched the fifth generation. This Noah is even more aero, but lighter and more comfortable. It’s an evolution we actually see in competitive aero bikes as well.”
Vermeersch is on Campy’s new Bora Ultra WTO tubeless wheels.
The Noah features a D-shaped seatpost and seat tube, for both a bit of comfort and Kamm Tail aerodynamics.
Ridley’s Large is indeed large: the top tube is 58.7cm and head tube is 19.4cm.
Ridley calls its aero shaping F-Tubing. In addition to the macro aero shaping, Ridley also builds in surface textures to act as boundary trip layers to smooth airflow.
What the wind (and rain and mud) see.
Vermeersch opted for a standard bar and stem instead of the stock integrated cockpit. A tiny Garmin Edge 130 was on his tipped-down mount.
Campagnolo Super Record EPS, like all electronic drivetrains, isn’t affected by the elements like a mechanical drivetrain where grit can deteriorate shifting performance.
Here you can see the trip layer treatment running as a small channel along the bottom of the down tube.
John Degenkolb won Paris-Roubaix in 2015 when racing for Giant-Alpecin. This year he finished 53rd after a few crashes.
The Noah Fast Disc has plenty of tire clearance for wide Roubaix tires.
Another view of the F-Surface Plus trip layer.
And on Degenkolb’s head tube you can also see the vertical F-Surface Plus channel.
Campagnolo’s Bora Ultra 50 tubular wheels weigh 1,215 for the pair.