Every year around Strade Bianche, the conversation in the Cyclingnews tech team follows a trend: One of us will ask what clever tech we expect riders to use to overcome the difficult terrain of the dusty white roads, then we’ll all watch in earnest hoping for something crazy to leave us speechless, and eventually we’ll all conclude that the only thing mechanics have changed is a swap to wider tyres. Of course, somewhere along the way someone will suggest it should be a monument.
This year, as Lotte Kopecky beat out Elisa Longo Borghini, and Tadej Pogacar went solo from 81km out, the theme was no different.
As my esteemed colleague, Will Jones, pointed out in his Omloop Het Nieuwsblad tech gallery, the two pelotons’ bikes are really capable, and generally very good, so there’s no need for bonkers tech hacks, nifty suspension solutions, or Allen keys taped to seatposts.
Despite this, with the real Monuments still yet to come, tyre choice and bike setup is something riders and their teams will be toying with.
As ever, Cyclingnews had reporters on the ground to cover both races, and we walked the pits to see what riders had gone for. We noticed Soudal-Quickstep went for a half-and-half approach, with some riders on tubeless and others on inner tubes. Elsewhere, the trend for wider tyres appears to be in full effect, with 28c rubber making way for the more popular 30c.
We also spent five minutes with Pogacar’s bike, so you can get a closer look at his full setup.
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