Pro gear to combat the cobbles and weather of Flanders
Image 1 of 101
Jempy Drucker's (BMC Racing) BMC Teammachine SLR01 for the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 2 of 101
World champion Peter Sagan aboard his new Sagan Collection S-Works Tarmac (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 3 of 101
The riders lined up ahead of the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 4 of 101
The majority of Quick-Step Floors and Bora-Hansgrohe used Specialized's S-Works Hell of the North cobble-specific tyres (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 5 of 101
Quick-Step Floors and Bora-Hansgrohe are also using the new power meter from Specialized in 2018 (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 6 of 101
Philippe Gilbert shows off the new S-Works Evade helmet (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 7 of 101
Peter Sagan raced aboard an S-Works Tarmac SL6 in the new Sagan Collection colours while his spare bike was in the Sagan Superstar finish (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 8 of 101
Greg Van Avermaet aboard his custom BMC Teammachine SLR01 in the Grote Markt, Antwerp (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 9 of 101
Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) was the only rider on the team aboard a Scott Addict as opposed to the Paris-Roubaix winning Scott Foil (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 10 of 101
Mitchelton-Scott mechanics double-layered the course notes, allowing riders to peel away the first half of the notes once completed (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 11 of 101
Like all the BMC Racing riders, Drucker's Teammachine was equipped with a Shimano R9100-P power meter (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Drucker's dog Elvis features on the customised shoes (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 14 of 101
Spare wheels at the ready for Quick-Step Floors (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 15 of 101
Philippe Gilbert uses a relatively old Specialized Chicane saddle (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 16 of 101
Quick-Step Floors have added 'The Wolfpack' branding to their team for 2018 to invoke team spirit amongst the riders and fans (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 17 of 101
Philippe Gilbert's (Quick-Step Floors) Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL6 for the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 18 of 101
Julien Vermote opted to race aboard a Cervelo R5 (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 19 of 101
Ryan Gibbons raced aboard the Cervelo R3 (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 20 of 101
Rotor provide the South African team with cranksets and power meters (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 21 of 101
Hidden underneath his race notes, Ryan Gibbons used the new Enve Aero SES carbon stem (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 22 of 101
John Degenkolb's spare Trek Madone atop one of the Trek-Segafredo team cars (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 23 of 101
Jasper Stuyven had the new Shimano Ultegra RX clutch rear derailleur on his spare Trek Domane (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 24 of 101
The clutch derailleur can be switched on or off to engage the derailleur over cobbles and reduce chain movement and disengaged on flatter surfaces to reduce friction (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 25 of 101
What integrated aero cockpits lack in comfort, they make up for in real estate for course notes (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 26 of 101
Trek-Segafredo mechanics double check tyre pressures before race sign on (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 27 of 101
A closer look at the file tread tyre pattern and new Bontrager Aeolus XXX 6 wheels (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 28 of 101
Bontrager's new XXX handlebars have IsoCore internals to dampen vibrations and a deeper curve on the drops, which Trek say their team riders prefer (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 29 of 101
John Degenkolb takes advantage of the new Bontrager handlebars as opposed to the integrated aero cockpit that usually features on the Madone framesets (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 30 of 101
Davide Cimolai (Groupama-FDJ) adds grip tape to his seat rails to prevent any slipping on the cobbles (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 31 of 101
Team Dimension Data raced on a mix of Cervelo R3, R5 and and S5 framesets (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 32 of 101
A closer look at the Muc-Off C3 ceramic chain lube (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 33 of 101
ENVE provide Team Dimension Data with the majority of their finishing kit, as well as wheels (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 34 of 101
Team Dimension Data added a touch of motivation to their rider's top tubes (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 35 of 101
Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij race aboard Isaac framesets equipped with FFWD wheels and Ritchey finishing kit (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 36 of 101
Sometimes simpler is better (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 37 of 101
The Dutch Pro Continental outfit use Vredstein tyres (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 38 of 101
A double-column, two-coloured appraoch for the EF-Drapac course notes (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 39 of 101
Sep Vanmarcke was running Vittoria Corsa Control 28mm tubulars for the race (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 40 of 101
Vanmarcke's mechanics removed the Dutchman's power meter with only a few minutes before the race began in an attempt to get bike weight down. The decision brought the bike weight down to 6.81kg (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 41 of 101
Sebastian Langeveld's Cannondale was equipped with a Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 series front derailleur (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 42 of 101
Sep Vanmarcke rides a size 58 Cannondale SuperSix (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 43 of 101
Sep Vanmarcke's (EF-Drapac) Cannondal SuperSix for the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 44 of 101
A Dimension Data mechanic applies the course notes ahead of race sign on (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 45 of 101
Team Dimension Data are using Astute saddles for 2018 (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Image 46 of 101
Niki Terpstra - the race winner - wears leg warmers cut just above the knee for some extra warmth on the thighs (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 47 of 101
Zdenek Stybar (Quick Step-Floors) was also wearing plenty of layers at the race start in the national champion colours of the Czech Republic (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 48 of 101
Michal Kwiatkowski adds another layer at the startline (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 49 of 101
Kwiatkowski has his Castelli toe covers labelled up (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 50 of 101
Sep Vanmarcke was also wearing the new POC Ventral helmet (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 51 of 101
Vincenzo Nibali at the startline of the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 52 of 101
Some of the Dimension Data Cervelos had their gold KMC chains coated with Muc-Off's C3 wet ceramic chain lube (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 53 of 101
John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) was wrapped up with plenty of layers at the start of the race and stripped down as the kilometers ticked by (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 54 of 101
Wout Van Aert has customised bidons commemorating his cyclocross world championship title (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 55 of 101
Mitch Docker of EF Education First-Drapac shows off the new POC Ventral semi-aero helmet (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 56 of 101
Christian Knees asked his Team Sky mechanic to reallign his stem after signing on before the race (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 57 of 101
Team Sky's Castelli rain jackets have extended rear flaps for additional coverage of the rear (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 58 of 101
Wout Van Aert's Veranda's Willems-Crelan team use Schwalbe G-One tyres (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 59 of 101
Wout Van Aert's (Veranda's Willems-Crelan) Stevens Xenon for the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 60 of 101
Vital Concept Cycling Club raced exclusively on Orbea Orcas for the race (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 61 of 101
One of the EF Education First-Drapac team cars was an all-electric Tesla (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 62 of 101
Groupama-FDJ used a mix of Lapierre Aircode and Xelius framesets (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 63 of 101
Michael Valgren's (Astana) Argon 18 Gallium Pro for the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 64 of 101
Michal Kwiatkowski's spare bike was equipped with a Shimano power meter (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 65 of 101
Filippo Ganna (UAE Team Emirates), who made it into the race's breakaway, raced aboard the new Colnago C64 frameset (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 66 of 101
Ben Swift (UAE Team Emirates) went for a more rustic approach to the course notes (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 67 of 101
Easily identifiable bottles for Ben Swift. Different riders will usually have different nutrition mixes dependant on physique or metabolism (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 68 of 101
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck split the hellingen and the kassien on his top tube and stem respectively (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 69 of 101
Only minutes from the race start, Van Keirsbulck didn't have any pedals attached to his bike (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 70 of 101
Alexander Kristoff's (UAE Team Emirates) Colnago V2-R in European champion colours for the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 71 of 101
WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic use a hybrid drivetrain consisting of a Shimano Dura-Ace front derailleur, Shimano Ultegra rear derailleur, cassette and chain, and a Rotor crankset (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 72 of 101
Mitchelton-Scott had a mix of FMB and different Continental tubular tyres (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 73 of 101
A Groupama-FDJ mechanic applies a waxy chain lube by hand to a riders bike at the race start (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 74 of 101
Movistar Team riders raced the Tour of Flanders aboard both the Canyon Aeroad and Ultimate framesets (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 75 of 101
Jorge Arcas (Movistar) customises his Fizik saddle to reduce any movement on the saddle (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 76 of 101
One of the Movistar riders' race notes (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 77 of 101
Interestingly, Nibali opted for a mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace drivetrain (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 78 of 101
Team Sky had a mix of Stages and Shimano power meters for the race (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 79 of 101
The Pinarello Dogma K10's Dogma Suspension System can increase compliance through remotely to suit the varied terrain of the cobbled Classics (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 80 of 101
A few WorldTour teams switch to Elite Ciussi bottle cages for the rough cobbled terrain (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 81 of 101
UCI staff were at the race start checking bikes for technological fraud (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 82 of 101
Bahrain-Merida were another team to use electronic tyre pumps (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 83 of 101
25 Continental Competition RBX tubulars were used by several teams for the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 84 of 101
Sonny Colbrelli double checks his tyre pressures with a mechanic after sign on (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 85 of 101
All of the Bahrain-Merida team used Merida Reactos except for Vincenzo Nibali, who opted to race on a Merida Scultura (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 86 of 101
Several riders in the race were equipped with live data transponders, to give an insight into speed, cadence or power (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 87 of 101
Vincenzo Nibali's (Bahrain-Merida) Merida Scultura for the 2018 Tour of Flanders (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 88 of 101
While other teams opt for electric pumps and digital pressure gauges, Lotto-Soudal use a traditional track pump and analog pressure gauge (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Each Lotto-Soudal chain was generously lubricated ahead of the race start (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 91 of 101
One of the top tube course notes for a Lotto-Soudal rider (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 92 of 101
Marcel Sieberg is one of several Lotto-Soudal riders to affix a strip of handlebar tape on his pedals for some extra comfort (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 93 of 101
Oliver Naesen's used a CermaicSpeed UFO chain in a colour-coordinated yellow finish for the Belgian national champion (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 94 of 101
French Pro Continental outfit have switched from Orbea to Kuota bikes for the 2018 season (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 95 of 101
A LottoNL-Jumbo rider opts to run handlebar tape to the centre of the Vision Metron 5D aero handlebars (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 96 of 101
A close look at the outer tread pattern on LottoNL-Jumbo's Vittoria tubular tyres (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 97 of 101
Most of the Astana riders ran 26mm FMB tubular tyres (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Image 98 of 101
Astana have modified their Shimano Dura-Ace rear derailleurs with CeramicSpeed's OSPW jockey wheels (Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
Cobbles, terrible weather, crashes and aggressive racing for 265km ended with a victory for Dutchman Niki Terpstra (Quick-Step Floors) after an attack with Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) on the final ascent of the Kruisberg, before attacking again for a solo victory.
At the start line in Antwerp, BikeRadar checked out all the bikes and gear pulled out to combat the cobbles and weather of the second Monument of the season.
Keeping the drivetrains running smooth
With 265km of racing and 23 sections of either Kasseien or Hellingen, every watt counts and the last thing any rider wants is an inefficient drivetrain. The wet weather on the morning of Easter Sunday ensured that the teams weren't taking any risks with chains drying out, and lubricants were applied liberally at the start line.
Wax-based and wet-weather-specific lubes were the order of the day, with Team Dimension Data using the distinctive blue Muc-Off C3 Wet Ceramic lube. Meanwhile, Oliver Naesen used a yellow lube to match his Factor O2 in the colours of the Belgian national champion.
Wider rubber… but not that wide
Unlike the brutal pavé of Paris-Roubaix, the cobbles - kasseien - of Flanders aren't as extreme. However, there is plenty of them nonetheless and every rider we saw switched from their usual race tyres to either wider or more robust rubber.
Continental Competition RBX, Vittoria Corsa Control, S-Works Hell of the North and the handmade FMB Paris-Roubaix tubulars were the order of the day with riders racing on a mix of 25-28mm tyres.
Disc brakes versus rim brakes
Despite the wet conditions and challenging terrain, not a single rider started the race on disc brakes to the best of our knowledge. A few teams had riders' spare or third bikes equipped with discs but none were spotted at the start line in Antwerp or finish line in Oudenaarde.
Aero-specific versus all-rounders
Mathew Hayman famously became the first rider to win Paris-Roubaix on an aero-specific frameset in 2016 and although aero gains have been proven by a variety of parties, sometimes the pros just prefer an all-around race bike.
Bahrain-Merida and Mitchelton-Scott rode their aero-specific Merida Reacto and Scott Foil respectively, with the exceptions of Vincenzo Nibali and Matteo Trentin riding the all-around race bikes in a Merida Scultura and Scott Addict. Interestingly, both riders were still in the bunch at the sharp end of the race.
Quick-Step Floors riders all rode the new Specialized Tarmac SL6 and had three riders in the top 10, with Peter Sagan also adding a fourth Tarmac into the top-10 standings.
Are thigh warmers the secret to winning De Ronde?
While the rain had largely dried up by the time the peloton hit Oudenaarde for the last time, the start line in Antwerp was a far more miserable affair when it came to the weather.
Neck gaiters, arm and leg warmers, rain jackets and overshoes were common, but perhaps Niki Terpstra's secret to victory was the homemade thigh warmers. Essentially just shortened knee warmers, Terpstra cut his warmers to just above the knee ensuring his thigh muscles had enough coverage to keep the cold temperatures at bay.
Custom derailleurs and mechanical shifting
Astana joined AG2R La Mondiale in customising their Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 rear derailleurs with CeramicSpeed's OSPW oversized jockey wheels. The system claims to reduce friction and improve drivetrain efficiency.
While electronic shifting is the norm at the top level of the sport, multiple Grand Tour and Monument winner Vincenzo Nibali opted for a mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 groupset on his Merida Scultura, while his teammates ran the electronic Dura-Ace R9150 Di2.
Click or swipe through the extensive gallery above to see all the tech on show from the second Monument of the year.
Cyclingnews Newsletter
Sign up to the Cyclingnews Newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy
Thank you for signing up to Cycling News. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.