Race Tech: Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, June 22, 2007

Lessons from France

By James Huang in Geneva, Switzerland

The Astana BMC SLC01 Pro Machine	We're pretty sure that we wouldn't want to be
The Colnago Extreme Power	Orbea just recently introduced a brand-new Orca
A couple of small washers inserted in the seat tube slot	Astana's BMC SLC01 Pro Machine frames
Saunier Duval-Prodir rider Leonardo Piepoli	Piepoli's lever was clearly a handbuilt prototype
Just in case you assumed that professional riders	Where's that climb again?
We don't see too many of these	Rebadged components are the norm in the ProTour
Layback posts don’t work for everyone	So what is a rider to do if the Mavic neutal support vehicle
The long valve stems associated with deeper section wheels	Saunier Duval-Prodir is sponsored by SRAM

As we wrap up our tech coverage from this year's Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, we leave you with a gallery of images that illustrate some interesting trends. First of all, team equipment sponsors obviously pay a lot of money for the riders to use their stuff, but there is still some leeway on behalf of the teams and riders as to which of those items they prefer to use, and what they prefer to pass over.

On a related note, things are not always what they appear to be: rebadging equipment is a common practice in the pro peloton, particularly in the case of tires or any other component where a rider's personal preference would quite visibly conflict with the official supporting sponsor. Black permanent markers and electrical tape are often a team's best friend.

Equipment is also not always perfect, at least not cosmetically. While team mechanics absolutely place the rider's safety and the performance of their bicycle on the highest pedestal, the method used to get to that point is not always the prettiest (although it's always clean!). Just because something may look a bit scratched up doesn't mean it can't still go like stink. Your perfectly polished and waxed US$8000 machine may be shinier, but there's no substitute for a good pair of legs when it comes to getting to the finish line first.

And finally, a few parting words from our travels through France:

• Cash is always good to have on hand, as plastic is not always universally accepted, including in the automated highway toll machines (not that we'd know)
• Automatic traffic cameras designed to catch speeders do not discriminate (see above)
• Even the tiniest of rental cars are still designed to handle fairly confidently at 160km/h (um, see above)
• Thankfully, the local police are very friendly and helpful, especially when you're an ignorant foreigner who doesn't realize that many French towns have farmers' markets on early Sunday mornings in parking lots conveniently located across the street from your hotel (see first entry)
• 'Fourriere' roughly translates into 'impound' in French (um, again, see above)

Au revoir!

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com

• The Astana BMC SLC01 Pro Machine of Stage 7 winner Alexandre Vinokourov.
• We're pretty sure that we wouldn't want to be Vino's power meter. That's got to hurt!
• The Btwin FC900 of Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré winner Christophe Moreau.
• Moreau's Btwin FC900 is a lighter weight variant of the FC700 that the rest of the team was using by virtue of its more advanced carbon content.
• The Colnago Extreme Power of the Milram squad.
• Orbea just recently introduced a brand-new Orca but its sponsored Euskaltel-Euskadi team prefers the rigidity of the older Opal model.
• Astana laces its deep-section Easton EC90 rims…
• …to DT Swiss hubs instead of the stock Easton units.
• A couple of small washers inserted in the seat tube slot is a simple way to prevent overtightening.
• Astana's BMC SLC01 Pro Machine frames boast a revised seat stay shape that offers more chain clearance.
• The Saunier Duval-Prodir team was running both the standard Scott Addict as well as the Addict Limited with its integrated seat post.
• When the rain comes down , team mechanics crack out the grease for the chains.
• Saunier Duval-Prodir rider Leonardo Piepoli was using a prototype SRAM shifter on the lefthand side, which we can only assume to be a Red test mule.
• Piepoli's lever was clearly a handbuilt prototype , by virtue of its CNC-machined alloy lever, modified paddle shape, and non-molded composite body.
• Piepoli runs a fi'zi:k Arione saddle but the nose is chopped by 15mm.
• Where does one get a white Ritchey WCS 4Axis stem? Oh, that's right. Normal people like you and I can't have one!
• Just in case you assumed that professional riders didn't use ultralight carbon-shelled saddles, this Selle Italia SLR Technologika Flow model was spotted on the bike of Gerolsteiner rider Fabian Wegmann.
• Go figure… Team CSC time trial specialist David Zabriskie prefers the more heavily padded nose of the triathlon/TT-specific Selle Italia SLR T1 on his road machine.
• Corima brake blocks are a popular choice in the peloton when using carbon rims.
• Where's that climb again?
• We don't see too many of these but apparently the Francais des Jeux guys prefer to use Easton's unusual headset adjuster.
• Rebadged components are the norm in the ProTour , as seen on this FSA K-Force Light crankset that isn't really a K-Force Light. This looks like an SL-K to us, and the switch may have been made to get the standard chainring bolt circle diameter (the K-Force Light is currently only available in compact).
• We don't need no stinkin' lawyer tabs!
• Specialized's carbon FACT cranksets were nowhere to be found on either of its sponsored ProTour teams. The Gerolsteiner boys ran Dura-Ace cranks all around, while the Quickstep-Innergetic team opted for its Campagnolo Record Ultra-Torque sets.
• Layback posts don’t work for everyone , not even in the professional ranks. This Ritchey-sponsored Lampre rider had to resort to a straight post by Syncros with the logo blacked out.
• So what is a rider to do if the Mavic neutal support vehicle is your only option, but it's not equipped with a bike with the proper pedals?
• Apparently you slide your feet in the old-fashioned way , at least until you can get a proper replacement from your own team car.
• Michelin's Pro² Race tires were the only clinchers spotted on any team bikes during the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré.
• The long valve stems associated with deeper section wheels have some inherent rattling issues, and this piece of tape is another method we saw to keep things quiet.
• Saunier Duval-Prodir is sponsored by SRAM but team bikes were equipped with Shimano chains.
• Stronglight chainrings are a popular choice for riders looking to drop some weight, and its impressive range of compact offerings allows for this ultra-wide 36/53T combination.
• Even on the same day , different riders had different choices for wheels, most likely based on personal preferences and that rider's role for the day.
• That distinctively nuclear-green hue of Shimano's grease is slathered on a T-Mobile rider's chain before the start of the rainy Stage 5.
• Few riders get as laid-out on a bike as guys in the ProTour, as demonstrated by this massive 140mm model by PRO.

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