National champions out in force with latest aero components
Image 1 of 79
Unlike many time trial framesets that use integrated steerers and stem systems, the Orbea runs a traditional stem(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Heinrich Haussler opted for no socks for the prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The Mitchelton-Scott team issue Scott Plasma(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A look at Astana's time trial setup (Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Each of the Quick-Step Floors riders have custom over shoes(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Ilnur Zakarin and his Katusha-Alpecin teammates wore Oakley helmets for the prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The riders enjoyed a brief spell in the shade before being called up for their start slot(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
National time trial champion of Great Britain, Steve Cummings rolls up the start ramp for his prologue effort(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
UCI representatives measure each bike with a jig to ensure they meet the regulations before each rider is allowed to set off(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
European champion Victor Campenaerts ran his usual time trial helmet set up with no visor(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A few riders from Movistar and Katusha-Alpecin raced with the new WTO wheel range from Campagnolo(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Sportful are one of several speedsuit manufacturers to locate the zipper to the rear of the suit for improved aerodynamics(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Another titanium cockpit from Pinarello for Team Sky(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
While several teams used turbo trainers to warm up, Quick-Step Floors opted for rollers(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Many brands now produce pockets specifically for race numbers to save using safety pins to affix the numbers(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Campenaert's custom Ridley has different shades of blue and white pinstripe detailing on the black frameset(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Pierre Latour's custom painted Factor Slick for the Franch national champion(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The custom painted Ridley Dean of the European time trial champion, Victor Campanaerts(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Victor Campenaerts used 'speed gel' on his legs for a little bit of extra aero(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Boasson Hagen's speedsuit had an interesting cut with the ribbed aero sleeves wrapping around the top of the shoulders and a much high than usual collar at the front(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A few of the Quick-Step Floors S-Works Shiv time trial bikes(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Quick-Step Floors were racing with the new Roval 321 Disc rear wheel(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Here you can see the split down tube design of the Factor Slick(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Alex Edmonson of Mitchelton-Scott was one of the first riders off(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A closer look at the Vision base bars used by the Bahrain-Merida team(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Each Bahrain-Merida rider has a custom mat to warm up on ahead of the prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Cockpits were still being setup minutes before the start(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The spare Cannondale SuperSlice bikes for EF-Drapac were the disc brake version of the bike(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Michal Kwiatkowski ran identical customised Fizik Tritone saddles on both his first and second race bikes(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Plenty of riders opt for triathlon-specific saddles for time trialling with this Fizik a popular choice(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Wanty-Groupe Gobert use Cube C68s as their time trial bikes(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A Team Sunweb Giant Trinity as used by Tom Dumoulin to world championships victory in Bergen last year(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Dimension Data are another team to use CeramicSpeed's OSPW system(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A look at the ENVE cockpit setup on one of the Dimension Date Cervelo P5(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Several Movistar riders opted for unbranded Hed three spoke front wheels as opposed to the regular offering from Campagnolo(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
EF-Drapac were running Garmin Vector power meter pedals(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Team Cofidis' Campagnolo Super Record EPS rear derailleurs have been customised with CeramicSpeed's OSPW system(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Team cars follow each rider for time trials with a specific name board for each rider attached to the car before setting off(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Russian national champion Ilnur Zakarin warms up ahead of the prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Norwegian national time trial champion Edvald Boasson Hagen raced the prologue on a Cervelo P3(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Spanish national time trial champion Jonathan Castroviejo takes a look at his custom Pinarello Bolide at the start(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
An AG2R La Mondiale mechanic frantically adjusted Alexis Gougeard's front brake just seconds before the young French rider set off(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Fortuneo-Samsic's eye-catching Look time trial machine(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Despite leaving Team Sunweb at the end of last season, Warren Barguil clearly still has a penchant for his old team-issue overshoes(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Daryl Impey in the colours of the South African national time trial champion(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Several riders for Vital Concept opted for elliptical chainrings, with the brandine blacked out(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Dan Martin wears a MET Drone time trial helmet for the prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Like most riders on the day, Dan Martin opted for a 54T outer chainring(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A look at Fabio Felline's (Trek-Segafredo) cockpit setup(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Trek-Segafredo have been running Shimano power meters this year but for the prologue opted for their old SRM power meters(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Kwiatkowski's cockpit had a custom cut-out for a small computer(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Michal Kwiatkowski's custom Pinarello Bolide in Polish national colours for the national time trial champion, which won the prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Pierre Latour wears the Franch national champion colours(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
It appeared Geraint Thomas was using a titanium cockpit first seen at the Tour de France last year(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Geraint Thomas' Pinarello Bolide for the Criterium du Dauphine prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Geraint Thomas heads to the start area in his Castelli speedsuit(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Joey Rosskopf in the stars and stripes of the USA national champion(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Swedish national time trial champion Tobias Ludvigsson's Lapierre Aerostorm in custom colours(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
EF Education First-Drapac's Cannondale SuperSlice were raced as rim brake only amongst the team riders, with the disc brake versions of the bike all on the team car roof(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
One of the Quick-Step Floors riders had a orange cap on their Specialized power meter, only previously seen in black(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Mechanics rubbed down the tyres ahead of the start to ensure any grit was removed from the tyres before setting off(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Team Sunweb raced the prologue on Giant branded 4-spoked carbon front wheels(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A few Team Sky riders, including Luke Rowe, have opted for short sleeve versions of their Castelli speedsuits, which caused controversy at the Tour de France last year(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
While some riders prefer practically straight handlebar extensions, others can opt for nearly 90-degree angles on their setups(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Cofidis use the lesser seen Suomy helmets(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Waterproof overshoes from VeloToze double up as aero over socks for time trials(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A small amount of grip tape was used on Jungels' handlebar extensions(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Bob Jungels used what appeared to be a custom produced saddle on his time trial bike(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Bob Jungels was one of several riders to wear an ice vest ahead of their start in an attempt to keep their core temperature down(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Movistar use team-issue Endura Drag2Zero overshoes(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The majority of the Mitchelton-Scott team use unbranded Lightweight Autobahn rear time trial wheels(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The Orbea Ordu are equipped with Tri Rig Omega X brakes front and rear(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Romain Bardet kept warm on a turbo trainer until switching to his time trial bike and the start ramp just seconds before he was due to set off(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Vincenzo Nibali's Merida Warp time trial bike for the Criterium du Dauphine prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
UAE Team Emirates use the Colnago K.One as their time trial bike(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Most of Team Sky have raced with Stages power meters so far this season but several of the riders used Shimano power meters for the Dauphine prologue(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Pro Continental team Vital Concept use Orbea Ordu framesets for time trialling(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A short 6.6-kilometre prologue in Valence got the Critérium du Dauphinè underway on Sunday, with riders testing their time trial equipment in view of the rapidly approaching Tour de France.
Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) took the stage victory and race lead, riding in the colours of the Polish national time trial champion. Kwiatkowski's Team Sky teammates Gianni Moscon and Jonathan Castroviejo also finished in the top-ten while wearing the national colours of Italy and Spain respectively.
The national road championships are traditionally held on the last weekend in June, giving riders a final opportunity to show off their colours at this month's Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse. In total, there are 12 national champions, plus the European champion in Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) at the 70th edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné, just under 10 per cent of the race starters.
Alongside the national champions' customised speedsuits, bikes, helmets and accessories, the prologue also gave an opportunity for riders to test the latest wheels and tweak their setups ahead of the team time trial on Wednesday, itself a crucial test ahead of next month's Tour de France team time trial.
Campagnolo-sponsored Movistar and Lotto Soudal had a number of riders using the new Campagnolo WTO wheel range, or Wind Tunnel Optimised, while Team Sunweb appeared to be racing with a new 4-spoke carbon front wheel from Giant.
Quick-Step Floors were another team on new, time trial-specific carbon wheels with the Roval 321 Disc carbon rears. The time trial wheels from Specialized's wheel brand were launched last month and are available in both rim or disc brake options.
Alongside a new rear wheel, Quick-Step Floors' Bob Jungels also appeared to be racing on a custom carbon saddle, likely due to help keep position where other production saddles cannot.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Several riders opted to roll to the start line in ice vests in an attempt to keep core body temperatures low in the humid conditions in Valence, while an array of fans and cooling systems were in place around the team buses while riders warmed up ahead of their start times.
Click or swipe through the gallery above to see all that was on display at the Critérium du Dauphiné time trial opener.
