A closer look at the head tube of the Trek Madone Disc(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Three Trek-Segafredo riders raced stage one of the Criterium du Dauphine on the as yet unseen Trek Madone Disc(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The frameset appears to have larger chain and seat stays than the rim brake version of the frame, likely due to the extra braking forces exerted from a disc brake system(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A large bottom bracket area contributes to quality power transfer(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
On the rim brake version of the frameset, the rear brake sits at the crown of the seat stays(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The underside of the stem/handlebar junction has four bolts (Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The new Madone Disc looks to retain the semi-integrated seat post design from the current Madone(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The Madone Disc also appears to have a new integrated cockpit, presumably to accommodate the hydraulic brake lines(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A cover hides the insides of the stem/handlebar internal routing but will improve aerodynamics(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A look at the frontal area of the cockpit and narrow head tube of the aero frameset(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The removal of the rear rim brake at the top of the seat stays vastly reduces the clutter at the rear end of the bike(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
It's definitely a Madone(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The rear derailleur hanger is located on the inside of the rear thru-axle dropout, keeping air flow smooth on the outside of the frame(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
One of the most obvious design changes is the front area of the Madone where an inetgrated brake system usually sits on the rim brake version of the bike(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The Trek Madone Disc has the classic hourglass profile of an aero-specific head tube(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The forks allow air to pass through, as well as around them(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A look at the fork thru-axle dropouts(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Trek-Segafredo's Trek Madone Discs ran 140mm disc rotors at the rear end of the bike(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
The Trek Madone Disc retains the flexing, integrated seat post from the current iteration of the bike(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
A look at the non-drive side of the Trek Madone Disc(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Trek's aero-specific frameset, the Madone, has been spotted in a disc brake version for the first time at the Critérium du Dauphiné in France.
The Trek-Segafredo team had three riders on the new bike for stage 1 of the race, starting in Valence and five for stage 2 from Montbrison to Belleville, allowing Cyclingnews to capture this exclusive gallery of images.
While there doesn't seem to be wholesale changes to the overall design or aesthetic of the Madone, the implementation of disc brakes does mean that the fork and stays need reinforcing and these chunkier areas are the most obvious design updates relative to the rim brake version of the bike.
The disc brake located on the front of the bike also results in the Madone no longer needing the unusual and possibly model-defining spring-loaded hinge in the head tube, which allowed movement for the proprietary front brake when steering but retained aerodynamic design and performance.
Also at the front end of the bike, Trek appear to have produced a new carbon, aerodynamic cockpit to complement the new frameset. The new cockpit is likely to accommodate the hydraulic brake hoses associated with the Shimano Dura-Ace R9170 disc brake groupset but still retaining aerodynamic performance at the front end of the bike and the frontal area of the cockpit certainly suggests this.
As with several other recent aero-specific carbon cockpits, the handlebar tops feature a low-profile flat section left unwrapped, while the drops are wrapped in black handlebar tape as opposed to the usual white used by Trek-Segafredo. The integrated cockpit system looks to have a cap at the centre of the stem that can be accessed via four bolts on the underside of the system for maintenance or setup.
Towards the rear end of the bike, the semi-integrated, flexing seat post is retained from its rim brake predecessor as is the two-bolt tensioning system on the rear side.
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Ahead of the Tour of Flanders in April, Trek's component company launched the Bontrager XXX range of carbon wheels and the new Madone Disc framesets were paired with the deep-rim Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 with Shimano Dura-Ace rotors at Critérium du Dauphiné.
With the Tour de France just a few weeks away and major brands launching new models in time for the European bike show season, Cyclingnews has spotted several new bikes and components at the French stage race. Alongside the new Trek Madone Disc, an updated aero frameset from Specialized was also spotted at the race underneath riders from Quick-Step Floors and Bora-Hansgrohe.
A spokesperson for Trek said they were not yet able to comment on the new bike.
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