Race tech from Tour Down Under

Strolling round the pits at the Tour Down Under, Cyclingnews spotted a few bits of interesting new tech and lots of subtle – and not so subtle – personalisations to rider’s bikes for the 2010 season.

The most notable customization was the blinged-out bike of stage three winner Manuel Cardoso from Footon-Servetto. The Portuguese champion was aboard the only gold and white Fuji SST 1.0 Aero in the team’s fleet for the Australian race. In addition to the unique paint job the bike has been fitted with matching cabling.

Omega Pharma-Lotto’s riders have also had some small personalisations provided by bike supplier Canyon. Each of the riders; nationalities are clearly displayed on their bike, with their respective national colours featured on the inside of the chainstays and fork.

The Prologo seat on Team Sky’s Ben Swift also has a patriotic touch, with the Union Jack appearing towards the saddle’s rear. Swift’s bike also features prototype Shimano Dura Ace 7810 composite pedals and prototype C50 composite tubular wheels, as shown in our recent pro bike on Swift’s Pinarello.

BMC Racing Team was another outfit featuring some unique paint schemes. The team had both International Cycling Union (UCI) world road champion Cadel Evans and USPro champion George Hincapie on its Down Under roster, both featuring customised gear as a tribute to their accomplishments.

A switch to the new season also means plenty of changes in suppliers for top level teams. Quick Step stepped out on Eddy Merckx bikes for the first time after losing Specialized to Astana, which lost its bike supplier Trek to Radioshack - all of which were on display down under.

They’re just a few things featured in Cyclingnews’ Tour Down Under tech wrap gallery. To see all the new bits and pieces, plus a look at what gear certain riders really use, take a look at the gallery.

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