New FSA groupset to debut at Tour de France on Wednesday

Three riders are set to use the new, long-awaited, FSA groupset during stage 17 of the Tour de France, a few weeks before a formal presentation at the Eurobike trade show in Germany at the end of August.

According to images and a brief report published by Italian website Tuttobiciweb, the new FSA groupset will be ridden by Cyril Lemoine of Cofidis, and a rider from each of the Bora-Argon 18 and Direct Energie teams. All three teams are sponsored by FSA or sister brand Vision and are using some FSA components such as chainsets and stems mixed with Shimano gears this season. Several teams are expected to use the new groupset in 2017.

The Tour de France will act as a late test for the groupset before an official presentation later in the summer.

FSA has been a long-standing component maker but will finally go head to head with the likes of Shimano, Campagnolo and Sram thanks to its new groupset. A prototype FSA groupset was first revealed on the second rest day of the 2015 Tour de France and fitted to Michal Kwiatkowski's spare bike when he was riding for the Etixx-QuickStep team. Another similar prototype was fitted to an Astana team bike but neither were used in the race.

The new FSA groupset appears to be electronic with Tuttobiciweb suggesting it could even be wireless like the Sram e-tap groupset that is being used by Katusha and AG2R La Mondiale this season. Howeve,r a video posted by FSA brand ambassador Ivan Basso clearly shows a wire connected to the rear derailleur. The bulk around the front mechanism indicates an electronic motor of some kind.

Tuttobiciweb said the FSA groupsets were taken to Berne from FSA’s European headquarters in Italy over night and team mechanics build the bikes during the second rest day.

Look out for a full gallery of the new FSA groupset here on Cyclingnews...

#letour no more rest day for me . Time to develop with @YourFSA @visionmy pic.twitter.com/EeHWtpyRkT

 

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