Strade Bianche isn’t the first race we look to when we want the latest in tech, particularly this early in the road racing season. However, it’s slowly become a place where teams are unafraid to experiment–resulting in some interesting choices in tech.
As per the opening week Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium, the pros at Strade Bianche tend to ride slightly different kit than what they might use in the rest of the season.
Want to see big changes, like Lidl-Trek opting for a gravel drivetrain? We have the full breakdown here. But below, you’ll find our insights on what tires the pros ride, tire widths, gearing, and unique setups across the peloton. There’s a bit more gravel cycling crossover here than one might expect!
Gallery
Everyone on Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team is riding aboard the Scott Foil RC aero road bike and the new Zipp 303 wheels we’ve spotted. That is, everyone but second-place finisher Tom Pidcock, who rode the ultralight Addict RC. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Pidcock rode a size XS Scott Addict RC road bike to his finish. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)He also rode aboard a Prologo saddle with its logos hidden, contrary to the Syncros saddles found on other team bikes. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Tom Pidcock’s bike has among the most thorough bits of information here, offering nutrition as well as route points of interest. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Many teams have really upped their nutrition know-how. This isn’t especially new, but it is certainly impressive to see just how in-depth these food suggestions are. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Some teams elect not to use a fancy print-out, instead opting for a simple bit of tape and numbers to show off sections, including this handlebar from Tudor Pro Cycling. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)The map on this Israel-Premier Tech bike goes as far as to detail critical segments as well as when to eat. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Lotto’s route guide doesn’t guide nutrition based on distance ridden, it does so based on time in the saddle. It also adds helpful icons of Precision Fuels gels to show just how much the rider needs to take in. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Sweet custom paint from the Tudor Pro team bike (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Most of the tires we found at Strade Bianche were either 29 or 30 mm in width. In the case of this Jayco-AlUla Giant TCR, however, it has a 32 mm wide Vittoria Corsa Control. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Not every Jayco rider used a 32 mm tire, however. Some opted for the unreleased 30 mm wide Cadex Aero tire. It even says it’s aero on the sidewall! (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)We saw a surprising number of teams with DT Swiss GRC gravel wheels. There’s good reason for this: they all feature a 24 mm internal rim width. This Tudor Pro BMC got the GRC wheels. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Look closely at Uno-X Mobility’s new Ridley Noah Fast bikes, and you’ll find bikes equipped with both DT Swiss ARC road wheels as well as GRC gravel wheels. The ARC road wheels get the Continental Aero 111 road tire up front, while the GRC gravel wheels get GP 5000 S TR tires front and rear. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Just how much sealant do you need in your tubeless road tire? For Intermarché-Wanty, 60 ml is the right number. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Campagnolo is back in the WorldTour after a year-long hiatus. That’s not all the changes for Cofidis, however: Vittoria is its new tire sponsor, pushing Michelin out of the WorldTour. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe appears to be one of the final teams to stick to a tube-type tire rather than going tubeless, as seen with this Turbo Cotton tire. The team has told Velo previously that the team uses latex tubes, and we anticipate that to be the case here. (Photo: Chris Auld/Velo)
